Lab Project #1: The CELL

Pictues for this lab are posted on another blog.

What is a cell? A cell can be defined as the basic unit of life. It is where many processes like cell replication and cell metabolism occur. But, at a microscopic level, it may be a little hard to fathom exactly how such a miniature object could be creating and finishing major procedures. So, why not break it down into simplest terms with a three-dimensional model made out of household materials.

This is a model of a cell using the materials: a plastic bag, a styrofoam ball, a marble, yellow, blue, red, and green clay, steel wool, macaroni noodles, raisins, the candy dots, a candy peanut, rubber bands, and straws. Starting with the cell itself, I used a plastic bag for the cell membrane and blue clay for the foundation of the cell. The cell membrane is what helps protect the cell and only lets particular substances inside and outside the cell. Next, which is the nucleus, I used half a styrofoam ball and cut a fourth of a section out of it to mold the marble inside it, which represents the nucleolus. Then, I used yellow clay and formed it around the styrofoam ball to give it the appearance of a nuclear membrane. The nucleus is the storage site for genetic information, such as DNA and RNA. Inside the nucleus, is the nucleolus, where tiny chromosomes that hold our genes is located. After the nucleus, is the endoplasmic reticulum. This has two features: rough endoplasmic reticulum and smooth endoplasmic reticulum. I used steel wool to represent the rough with red clay dots to stand for the ribosomes that are attached to the rough E.R.; then I used elbow macaroni for the smooth E.R. The rough endoplasmic reticulum, that is studded with the ribosomes, is the center of protein synthesis, which is assisted by the ribosomes. And the smooth endoplasmic reticulum is the location for synthesis of a type of fat called phosopholipids. Next, are the lysosomes, for which I used the candy dots to model. Lysosomes takes the proteins and lipids from the endoplasmic reticulum and transports them to the golgi apparatus. For the golgi apparatus, I used the material of rubber bands. The golgi apparatus further modifies the proteins and lipids transported by the lysosomes. The next part, the vesicles, I chose raisins to represent them. Vesicles breakdown cell substances. Then, for the mitochondria, I used the candy peanut. The mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell, because this is where energy conversion occurs, called cellular respiration. And lastly, I used a bundle of straws to represent the interior of cilia. Cilia allows parts of the cell to move, allowing processes to occur and continue. There are also smaller models that I created of some of processes that happen inside the cell.

This is a model of mitosis. The materials I used are: red, yellow, and green clay, the candy dots, and rubber bands. Mitosis is a way for cells to replicate (happens in the nucleus) and it occurs in four phases: prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase. In all four phases, I used the green clay to stand for the nucleus, the red and yellow clay for the chromosomes, and the dots and rubber bands for the spindles. In prophase, the chromosomes and spindles begin to form. Then, in metaphase, the spindles line the chromosomes along the center of the nucleus. Next, in anaphase, the spindles pull the chromosomes apart and pull them towards opposite ends of the nucleus. And last, in telophase, the chromosomes start to turn back into bundles of chromosome material, called chromatin, as the spindle fibers disappear. The cell splits and creates two identical cells.

This is a model of DNA replication. The materials I used are: green floral wire and twist ties. The green floral wire represents the backbone of the DNA strands. And the twist ties represent the complementary base pairs that connect the DNA strands together. In DNA replication, part of the strand unzips and allows for a new strand to be copied and made from the old strand.


This is a model of transcription. The materials I used are: green floral wire, black floral wire, and sour gummy worms. I used the green floral wire for DNA and the black floral wire for RNA. Then, I used sour gummy worms for the complementary base pairs on the DNA and RNA strands. In this process, that also occurs in the nucleus, the DNA strand is broken apart in the middle in order for the RNA strand to connect to it with its base pairs and creating messenger RNA (mRNA). Then, mRNA takes the template of information provided by the DNA strand and transfers it to the process of translation.

This is a model of translation. The materials I used are: black floral wire, yellow and green clay, the candy dots, and sour gummy worms. Starting with the RNA backbone, I used the black floral wire. Then, I used the sour gummy worms to represent the base pairs in mRNA. Next, I had the yellow clay stand for the ribosome. The ribosome is where protein synthesis occurs. Then, I used the green clay to represent transfer RNA and the candy dots to stand for proteins. Transfer RNA (tRNA) is a molecule that transports the proteins to the ribosome for use in building long chains of proteins. In the process of translation, the mRNA binds to the ribosome along with tRNA. The ribosmome then moves along the mRNA, three base pairs at a time. Then, each base pair initiates what proteins shall be made and added to the long chain of proteins connected to the tRNA. The process ends when one of the proteins says "stop." The mRNa and tRNA release from the ribosome and the process is complete.

The cell is the basic unit of life and contains many processes like cell replication and cell metabolism. In order understand the cell, I made models of the cell and its basic parts, cell replication, and cell metabolism out of household materials. This project was very helpful for my learning style. It gave me a hands-on experience to understanding how the cell was structured and how it functioned. I was able to finally grasp the processes of mitosis, DNA replication, transcription and translation.