B3- Molecules of Life

Molecules of Life

Cells

Fundamental processes of life take place inside our cells. All cells contain the following:

• Cytoplasm, where chemical reactions take place.
• A cell membrane, which allows movement in and out of the cell.
• A nucleus, which contains the genetic information and controls what the cell actually does.
• Mitochondria- respiration takes place inside mitochondria, supplying energy for our cells. Cells that have a high energy requirement, e.g. sperm cells, muscle cells and liver cells, have large numbers of mitochondria.

Some structures are too small to see with a lght microscope, e.g. ribosomes. Ribosomes are in the cytoplasm and are the…