Six Example Cell Engineering Cell Type Assignments

1. Your cell: an animal cell

Your cell’s primary function: produce, modify, and release a protein

Hint: increasing the surface area of the cell could increase the amount of exocytosis that can occur

Possible parts list: Ribosomes, Golgi Apparatus, Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum, Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum, Nucleus, Centrioles, Chloroplasts, Mitochondria, Lysosomes, Cytoskeleton, Vacuoles, Vesicles, Flagella, Cilia, Microvilli, Cell Membrane, Cell Wall, Cytoplasm, Lysosomes, Peroxisomes.

2. Your cell: an animal cell

Your cell’s primary function: convert organic molecules to lipids and store for future use

Hint: keep in mind what you have learned about the properties of lipids and imagine how those types of molecules could be safely stored in the aqueous environment of the cell.

3. Your cell: a plant cell

Your cell’s primary function: transport of sugar from leaves to other parts of the plant.

Hint: these cells compose the veins of the leaves and their function is primarily mediated by cell structure.

4. Your cell: an animal cell

Your cell’s primary function: delivery of oxygen to all cells in the body

Hint: A cell with this job must be able to travel through small capillaries in the circulatory system and have a surface area that supports efficient oxygen transfer.

5. Your cell: a plant cell.

Your cell’s primary function: produce, modify, and release oil on the surface of the leaf.

Hint: increasing the surface area of the cell could increase the amount of oil that can be released.

6. Your cell: a plant cell

Your cell’s primary function: protect the underlying cells of the leaf and allow for the diffusion of oxygen and carbon dioxide so that photosynthesis can occur

Hint: remember the different factors that affect the rate of diffusion