Cytoplasm is the internal content of the cell where all key metabolic processes take place. In this section, we will analyze its chemical basis, inconstant components (inclusions), and specialized cell structures (organelles).
You will study the operation of the synthetic membrane apparatus (ribosomes, smooth and rough endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus) and the fundamental principles of protein folding. We will examine the power plants of the cell—mitochondria—in detail, as well as the cell digestion and detoxification system: lysosomes and peroxisosomes. Special attention is paid to the cell center and organelles of movement, which ensure the dynamics of the cytoskeleton and cell division.
In practical classes and exams, instructors are most strict about the working principle of the "membrane conveyor" (from synthesis on ribosomes to packaging in the Golgi apparatus), marker enzymes of organelles, and the ability to recognize the ultramicroscopic structure of mitochondria and the ER on electron micrographs. Understanding these structures is the foundation for successfully passing cytology.