Cell City Analogy
By Shannan Muskopf
In a far away city called Grant City, the main export and production product is the steel widget. Everyone in the town has something to do with steel widget making and the entire town is designed to build and export widgets. The town hall has the instructions for widget making, widgets come in all shapes and sizes and any sizes and any citizen of Grant can get the instructions and begin making their own widgets. Widgets are generally produced in small shops around the city, these small shops can be built by the carpenter's union (whose headquarters are in town hall).
After the widget is constructed, they are placed on special carts which can deliver the widget anywhere in the city. In order for a widget to be exported, the carts take the widget to the postal office, where the widgets are packaged and labeled for export. Sometimes widgets don't turn out right, and the "rejects" are sent to the scrap yard where they are broken down for parts or destroyed altogether. The town powers the widget shops and carts from a hydraulic dam that is in the city. The entire city is enclosed by a large wooden fence, only the postal trucks (and citizens with proper passports) are allowed outside the city.
Match the parts of the city (underlined) with the parts of the cell.
1. Mitochondria
_____________________________________________
2. Ribosomes _____________________________________________
3. Nucleus _____________________________________________
4. Endoplasmic Reticulum _____________________________________________
5. Golgi Apparatus _____________________________________________
6. Protein _____________________________________________
7. Cell Membrane _____________________________________________
8. Lysosomes ____________________________________________________________
9. Nucleolus _____________________________________________
** Create your own analogy of the cell using a different model. Some ideas might be: a school, a house, a factory, or anything you can imagine**
mitochondria-hydraulic dam
ribosomes-small shops
nucleus-town hall
endoplasmic reticulum-special carts
golgi apparatus- post office
protein-widget
cell membrane-fence
lysosomes-scrap yard
nucleolus-carpenter's union
Mitochondria
1. Mitochondria - The hydraulic dam in the city that powers the widget shops and carts is like the mitochondria in a cell. Mitochondria are the powerhouses of the cell, producing energy for the cell to function.
2. Ribosomes - The small shops around the city where widgets are generally produced can be compared to ribosomes in a cell. Ribosomes are responsible for protein synthesis, just like the small shops are responsible for widget production.
3. Nucleus - The town hall in Grant City, which holds the instructions for widget making, represents the nucleus in a cell. The nucleus is the control center of the cell, containing the genetic information and instructions for cellular activities.
4. Endoplasmic Reticulum - The carts used to transport widgets in the city can be compared to the endoplasmic reticulum in a cell. The endoplasmic reticulum is responsible for transporting and modifying proteins within the cell.
5. Golgi Apparatus - The postal office in Grant City, where widgets are packaged and labeled for export, is similar to the Golgi apparatus in a cell. The Golgi apparatus processes, modifies, and packages proteins for transport within or outside the cell.
6. Protein - The widgets themselves in Grant City represent proteins in a cell. Proteins are molecules made up of amino acids and are involved in various cellular functions.
7. Cell Membrane - The large wooden fence enclosing the entire city represents the cell membrane. The cell membrane acts as a boundary, controlling the movement of substances in and out of the cell.
8. Lysosomes - The scrap yard in Grant City, where the rejects are broken down for parts or destroyed, can be compared to lysosomes in a cell. Lysosomes are responsible for breaking down waste materials and cellular debris.
9. Nucleolus - The carpenter's union headquarters in town hall, which can build the small shops around the city, represents the nucleolus in a cell. The nucleolus is involved in the production of ribosomes.
To match the parts of the city with the parts of the cell in the analogy:
1. Mitochondria - The hydraulic dam in the city that powers the widget shops and carts. Just like mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell, providing energy for cellular activities.
2. Ribosomes - The small shops around the city where widgets are generally produced. Similar to ribosomes, which are involved in protein synthesis within the cell.
3. Nucleus - The town hall in Grant City, which holds the instructions for widget making. Similarly, the nucleus in a cell contains the genetic material and acts as the control center for cellular activities.
4. Endoplasmic Reticulum - Not mentioned in the analogy.
5. Golgi Apparatus - The postal office in Grant City where widgets are packaged and labeled for export. Like the Golgi apparatus, which modifies, sorts, and transports proteins within the cell.
6. Protein - The widgets produced in the small shops around the city. Just like proteins are synthesized in the ribosomes.
7. Cell Membrane - The large wooden fence enclosing the entire city. Similar to the cell membrane, which forms a boundary around the cell and regulates the movement of substances in and out.
8. Lysosomes - Not mentioned in the analogy.
9. Nucleolus - Not mentioned in the analogy.
**Creating a different analogy of the cell using a factory:**
In a factory, the main product being produced is cars. Each section of the factory represents different organelles in the cell:
1. Mitochondria - The power plant supplying electricity to the entire factory, akin to mitochondria providing energy to the cell.
2. Ribosomes - Assembly stations in the factory where various parts are put together to construct the cars, just like ribosomes assemble proteins.
3. Nucleus - The central control room of the factory where blueprints and instructions for car production are stored and distributed, similar to the nucleus containing the cell's genetic information.
4. Endoplasmic Reticulum - Conveyor belts or assembly lines connecting different parts of the factory and transporting components, like the ER assists in protein transport within the cell.
5. Golgi Apparatus - Quality control stations in the factory inspecting and labeling the cars before they are packed for shipping. The Golgi apparatus in the cell modifies and packages proteins.
6. Protein - The cars being produced in the factory, analogous to proteins being synthesized in the ribosomes.
7. Cell Membrane - The factory walls and gates, controlling the entry and exit of materials and finished cars, just like the cell membrane regulates the movement of substances in and out of the cell.
8. Lysosomes - Waste disposal units in the factory that break down and recycle defective or discarded car parts, similar to lysosomes breaking down waste products in the cell.
9. Nucleolus - A specific section of the factory where detailed blueprints and designs for car production are stored, similar to the nucleolus involved in the production of ribosomes in the cell.