Choose a topic for your cell analogy. Below each topic heading are possible analogies for the topic. You can use them or come up with your own. The fourth column is a space in case you want to make your own analogy topic.
A cell can be compared to a business. The Nucleus controls all cellular functions like a Chief Executive Officer that controls all of the operations and decisions of the business. Within the business there is the cytoplasm. The Cytoplasm in a cell, harbors cell organelles and provides structure. This compares to the factory work space that contains all the working bio-machinery and the nutrients, like the raw materials, for the cellular processes. The Cytoskeleton for a cell is what provides the shape and structure to the cell. This is compared to the architecture structure of a factory. It helps to support and strengthen the structure of the building. The Endoplasmic Reticulum of a cell is the site for protein synthesis, the vesicle packaging and transport. This is compared to an assembly line of the business. This is the main work space for production of the important cell components, for example the proteins. The Golgi Apparatus of the cell is the packaging of molecules into the transport vesicles. This is compared to the packaging department of a business. The packing department is the department that packages the goods that have been prepared. The Lysosomes of the cell is actually the membrane-bound cell organelle. It contains the digestive enzymes that break down the excess or the otherwise known worn-out parts of the cell. If the cell is considered damaged beyond repair it will help it to self-destruct with a process that is called programmed cell death. This is compared to the maintenance department of a business. The maintenance department is called in when there is old worn out machinery that needs replaced and discarded. The Mitochondria of the cell is in charge of producing the energy through cellular respiration. This is compared to the power plant or the generator of the business to help the production of energy. There are a few extra parts of the cell that could not be put on the chart above. The Plasma membrane of the cell is the semi permeable that controls cellular transport. This is compared to the Logistics department of the business. This department is in control of what is shipped in and out of the business. The last one is the Ribosomes of the cell. This Ribosomes are like the protein builders or the protein synthesizers of the cell. This is compared to the factory workers of the business. The works build the products for the company.
The plasma that filters through the blood capillaries into the interstitial fluid does not contain red blood cells or platelets as they are too large to pass through but can contain some white blood cells to help the immune system.
