• When interpreting electron micrographs to deduce the function of the cell it is important to:
  1. Identify whether it is a?prokaryotic or eukaryotic?cell - is a?nucleus?present
  2. Identify which eukaryotic cell it is (plant or animal) by looking for a?cell wall?or?vacuole
  3. Identify the?organelles present?in the cells and consider their function

Electron micrograph of cell 1

• The cell had a?nucleus?- it is a?eukaryotic cell
• This cell did?not have?a?cell wall?or?central vacuole?- it is an?animal cell
• The cell has a?large u-shape nucleus?- it can manipulate itself through small pores
• There are a large number of?lysosomes?in the cell - it can?digest substances?found within the cell
• There are a large number of?mitochondria?- it has sufficient?energy?for the many metabolic reactions
• The deduction, therefore, is that this cell needs a lot of energy to break down substances that enter the cell and that it can move where it wants. This cell is a?macrophage

Electron micrograph of cell 2

• The cell had a?nucleus?- it is a?eukaryotic cell
• This cell did?not have?a?cell wall?or?central vacuole?- it is an?animal cell
• There are a?large number of mitochondria?- it requires significant energy for?many metabolic reactions
• The cell has?microvilli?packed closely together (brush border) - it needs to?increase the surface area?and prevent any substance from crossing into the cell
• The deduction, therefore, is that this cell needs a lot of energy to control what enters or exits this cell and that the cell requires a lot of the substance to be absorbed. This cell is a?ciliated epithelium of the small intestine