Every junior high school student or science student in high school will definitely study the cell structure of living things at some time. Maybe now is your turn to learn about the various organelles in animal and plant cells. If you decide to demonstrate what you've just learned by creating a three-dimensional model of cells and their structure (or are given an assignment by a teacher to create one), this article can guide you throughout the modeling process.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Planning the Model
Step 1. Understand the cell system first
You must know and understand the various organelles (components of cells, you can say the 'organs' of the cell) and their functions, the relationships between these organelles, and the differences between plant and animal cells if you want to build an accurate three-dimensional model.
- You must also understand the organelles in cells if you want to model them. The most important thing is to understand the shape of the organelle first. Usually the colors in the cell components that we can see in textbooks are only used to distinguish one organelle from another and are not even similar to the original color, so you can be a little creative with the choice of colors for the model to be made, but the shape must still be similar..
- It is also important to understand how these organelles relate to one another. For example, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is always near the cell nucleus because this type of organelle functions to process proteins used for DNA replication. You must understand facts like these when building models of cells and their organelles.
- Recognize the difference between plant cells and animal cells. The most important thing to know about plant cells is that their outer walls are made of cellulose, their vacuoles (a collection of water and enzymes that are enclosed in a membrane) are large, and the presence of chloroplasts (the interior of plant cells that functions to convert sunlight into energy that can be used) used).
Step 2. Design the concept for the model to be built
Will the selected cell type be represented transparently, i.e., its components will be in a translucent material? Or will the model look like a cell cut in half but still display its interior in three dimensions? Instructions for making these two models can be found in the next few sections, but in a nutshell both models have a concept like this:
- The first three-dimensional model of the cell is completely spherical, encasing the organelles inside with clear gelatin.
- The second three-dimensional cell model is a cell cut in half to show the organelles inside. This model is made using special handicraft materials.
Step 3. Think about what materials will be used to make this model
Of course, the materials used will vary depending on the type of model you are going to build.
- It will be easier for you to use materials with more or less the same shape as the shape of the object you are going to model-say, material that is round like the nucleus of a cell.
- But of course, many of the organelles in cells are oddly shaped, so it seems a bit unlikely that you'd find material with the same shape. In cases like this you need to think about what materials are flexible and can be changed to the desired shape.
Step 4. Be creative
Is the cell model made edible? What colors will be used for each organelle? You should not forget the important elements that must be in the model, but you should also remember that this does not always limit you to be creative and give your model a unique character.
Method 2 of 3: Using Gelatin
Step 1. Purchase materials to make cell parts
In this particular model, you will use various types of food and items that you often find in the kitchen. It's up to you what materials you want to use, but here are some ideas you can use:
- Clear gelatin can be used as cytoplasm. If you want the model to look authentic, you can also use unflavored gelatin. If you want to make an edible model, choose a type of gelatin that is not too dark in color so that the organelles that are included in the gelatin are still visible later.
- For the cell nucleus, nucleolus, and nuclear membrane: Buy fruits with speckled surfaces, such as plums or peaches. The spots can be the nucleolus, the fruit can be the nucleus of the cell, and the skin of the fruit can be used as a nuclear membrane. (If you are not asked to create a complex model, you can use any fruit that is round).
- The centrosome is usually pointed, to make it stick together several toothpicks with gumdrops or other very small pieces of gum.
- Make a Golgi body using cardboard scraps, wafers, crunchy biscuits, bananas cut into small pieces, or maybe a sheet of fruit candy stacked like an accordion.
- For the lysosomes, use small round candies or chocolate chips.
- Mitochondria are slightly oval in shape, so try using lima beans or certain types of beans without the skin.
- Ribosomes: For ribosomes, you need something very small. Try meises grains, peppercorns, or dried pepper.
- The rough endoplasmic reticulum is shaped like a Golgi body, both composed of several sheets stacked on top of each other; only the surface is rougher. You can use a Golgi body material for this, but still find ways to make the surface look rougher by applying a textured or rough feel to the skin (meises can do that too) to differentiate it from the Golgi body.
- In contrast, the smooth endoplasmic reticulum looks like a series of tubes of varying sizes intertwined. To make one, you need something that is easy to shape and feels smooth on the skin. Use cooked spaghetti, chewy candy, or soft candy that has been stretched wide.
- Vacuoles: For animal cells, use a gum that's about the same size-and the same color, but see-through (after all, vacuoles are just tiny sacs filled with water and enzymes). Unlike the vacuoles in animal cells, the vacuoles in plant cells are much larger in size. To work around this, you can prepare another liquid gelatin (which may be slightly saturated, to make it stiffer) to be inserted into the plant cell model.
- Cell microtubules can be made using spaghetti sticks or straws, depending on the size of your project.
- For the chloroplasts (plant cells only), use peas, green jelly beans, or chickpeas cut in half. Keep the chloroplasts green.
Step 2. Find a gelatin mold
You will need a mold to shape the cells but first decide what type of cells you will be making. Animal and plant cells are different in shape and require different templates.
- If you're modeling a plant cell, the first thing you'll need is a rectangular baking dish, preferably porcelain. Plates can be both cell walls and membranes in the model.
- If you're making an animal cell model, you'll need a round or oval baking dish, such as a casserole dish. This plate will serve as the cell membrane of the model, or you can just use the plate as a template. After that, you can remove the model to be coated with plastic wrap as a cell membrane.
Step 3. Make the gelatin liquid
Cook the gelatin according to the instructions on the package-usually starting with boiling water on the stove, then mixing the gelatin into it. Pour the hot gelatin liquid into a casserole dish or baking sheet. Place in the refrigerator and let sit for about an hour, or when the liquid has almost hardened. Don't wait until the gelatin is really hard.
This is because you want the liquid gelatin to harden only near the organelles already placed in the model.
If you can't find clear gelatin, buy gelatin in the lightest color, such as yellow or orange. You can also make your own gelatin
Step 4. Add the parts in the cell into the model
Start dipping the organelles you've made into the gelatin. Perhaps the organelles could be placed like this:
- Place the cell nucleus roughly in the center of the model (unless you're modeling a plant cell).
- Place the centrosome near the cell nucleus.
- Place the smooth endoplasmic reticulum near the cell nucleus.
- Also place the Golgi bodies near the cell nucleus (but away from the endoplasmic reticulum).
- Place the rough endoplasmic reticulum right next to the smooth endoplasmic reticulum (not near the cell nucleus).
- Place the other organelles on the remaining area. Don't put everything in one place. Moreover, certain organelles in a native animal or plant cell are always seen floating around the cytoplasm. You can place this type of organelle randomly.
Step 5. Put the model in the refrigerator
Let the gelatin sit for another hour or two until it has completely hardened.
Step 6. Create a table or paper containing keywords that describe each part of the cell
After you have added the organelles, write a list explaining which cell component a particular object represents in the model (eg "Gelatin = Cytoplasm," "Sweetroot = Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum"). You may need to explain more about these parts of the cell later.
Method 3 of 3: Using Special Craft Materials
Step 1. Purchase the ingredients
Here are the ingredients you can use:
- You can use styrofoam as the cell body. Shops that sell craft supplies or art-related items will usually stock a Styrofoam-based ball (if you decide to make an animal cell model) that is about the size of a basketball or styrofoam cube (for a plant cell model).
- Cardboard can be used to form certain organelles, such as the Golgi body or rough endoplasmic reticulum.
- A straw or small tube can be used to form the organelle in the shape of a tube. Microtubules can be made from drinking straws, while more flexible straws or tubes can be used to make smooth endoplasmic reticulum.
- Use beads of various shapes and sizes as other organelles, such as mitochondria or chloroplasts. Make a comparison between the number of beads and the number of items used as other organelles and determine the number in the model using this ratio.
- You can use clay to form certain organelles that are hard to find replicas of.
- Paint can be used to fill the inside of the cell and distinguish the cytoplasm from the outside of the cell. You can also paint the clay with paint.
Step 2. Cut of the styrofoam
Measure the length and width of the styrofoam and put a dot in the middle of each side. Connect the dots opposite each other by drawing a line through them. Then use an X-Acto knife or other cutting tool to cut of the styrofoam.
- To create a plant cell model, draw a center line for each of the two opposite sides of the Styrofoam and continue each line down the back of the Styrofoam until it returns to its starting point.
- To make an animal cell model, draw lines on the styrofoam like you would draw the equator and meridians on a globe.
Step 3. Paint the model
Paint the surface of the cut or cut section (plant cells only) to highlight the individual components of the cell. You can also paint the exterior a different color to distinguish it from the cytoplasm.
Step 4. Make the sections in the cell
Use the ingredients mentioned above to make it.
The most difficult part of making this model is forming the organelles from clay. Make the model as simple as possible, but still maintain the original shape of the organelle. The best thing to do is to make an easy-to-make model of the organelle with clay and leave the more difficult-shaped organelle-say the smooth endoplasmic reticulum-to be replicated later using a tube or other type of object
Step 5. Add parts in cells to the model
Glue it to the styrofoam using hot glue, ordinary glue, toothpicks, tacks, stapler, or with other tools and methods. In some cases you will also have to punch holes in the base material to allow the organelle to stand in place without assistance.
You can shape the Golgi bodies and rough endoplasmic reticulum out of cardboard by hand. In this situation, make small holes in several parts of the styrofoam by slicing it and then insert the cardboard that has been cut into pieces to look like folded organelles
Step 6. Create a table and paper containing keywords that describe each section in the cell
After the parts in the cell have been added to the model, create a list that describes which cell components are represented by an object in the model. You may have to explain more about this when you present your model later.
Tips
- Models can be done more quickly with the help of friends or parents.
- Make sure that the gelatin has had enough time to harden after the "organelles" are added. Try storing the model in the refrigerator overnight.
- You have to be extra careful when removing the model from the refrigerator.
- You may need to coat the styrofoam with papier mâché (also known as papier-mâché, which is strips of paper or newspaper that is glued to an object using glue or tape to cover the surface) for safety reasons. Add a few more layers until it feels like enough.
