Every middle school or high school student must learn about the structure and morphology of living cells in science classes at one point or another. Maybe it happened to you recently too and you have studied the various organelles of animal and plant cells. If you have decided to show off your recent knowledge by creating a three-dimensional model of the cell and its structures, or if it is a task that your teacher has assigned you, then this article can help you.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Plan the Model
Step 1. Study the cells
If you want to build an accurate 3D model, you need to understand which are the main organelles (the components of the cell essential to its life, just like organs), how they relate to each other and the differences between animal and plant cells.
- You have to know the various organelles if you want to represent them and above all you have to know their shape. The colors with which they are proposed in the images of the textbooks have only a demonstration purpose, and usually do not coincide with reality, so for this aspect you can be creative. However, you need to know the exact shape of the structures if you want to reconstruct them in a model.
- It is equally essential to know how the various parts relate to each other. For example, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is always located near the nucleus because it processes the proteins that are used for DNA duplication. You must understand this mechanism before creating the model.
- Learn the differences between plant and animal cells. In particular, remember that the plant cell wall is composed of cellulose, inside the cell there are large vacuoles (a set of water and enzymes enclosed by a membrane) and the presence of chloroplasts (the cell structure that is in able to convert sunlight into useful energy).
Step 2. Develop your model concept
Will it be a representation in which all the structures are suspended in a transparent material? Or will it be a section, a model in which the cell seems to be cut in half to show the organelles, without losing its three-dimensional aspect? Below, this article will go into both techniques in detail, but to summarize:
- The first option is a complete 3D model where the organelles of the cell appear suspended in the transparent gelatin.
- The second solution involves the use of different materials to build a cell section where a part has been removed to allow viewing of the internal organelles.
Step 3. Think about the materials you will use
Clearly these will change based on the type of model you wish to make.
- It is easier to use objects that already have a similar shape to the various cellular elements, for example something spherical to represent the nucleus.
- Obviously, many organelles have an extravagant shape and it is difficult to find everyday objects that look the same. In that case you will have to rely on flexible materials that can be shaped however you want.
Step 4. Be creative
Will your model be edible? What kind of color will you use for each structure? Never lose sight of any of the vital elements that need to be represented in your project, but it is not mandatory to limit yourself in style.
Method 2 of 3: Using Gelatin
Step 1. Get the materials to make the parts of the cell
You can use different foods and cooking products. What you will use is entirely up to you, but here are some tips:
- Transparent gelatin is perfect for the cytoplasm. If you've chosen a realistic style, unflavoured clear jelly is the perfect solution. If you want to build an edible cell, choose a gelatin that is not too dark, so as not to obstruct the vision of the internal organelles.
- For the Nucleus, Nucleolus and Nuclear Membrane: Purchase a stone fruit such as a peach or plum. The core is the nucleolus, the fruit the nucleus and the peel is the membrane. If that level of precision isn't required for the task, you can use any spherical shaped food.
- Centrosomes are thorny elements, so try sticking pieces of toothpicks into a gummy candy or other similar food.
- For the Golgi apparatus: take small pieces of cardboard, wafers, crackers or banana peels and stack them like an accordion.
- For lysosomes, use small spherical candies or chocolate chips.
- Mitochondria are oblong in shape, so you can use lima beans or some types of unshelled nuts.
- Ribosomes: Any small, spherical object such as peppercorns, colored sprinkles or ground pepper is fine.
- The rough endoplasmic reticulum closely resembles the Golgi apparatus. It has a structure made up of flat sections folded back on themselves but, unlike the Golgi apparatus, it has a rough surface. You can use the same material you used for the Golgi, but look for a way to glue something that gives it a wrinkled look (maybe some sugar sprinkles) so you can distinguish the two organelles.
- The smooth endoplasmic reticulum looks like a series of irregular, tangled and connected tubes. For this reason you need something smooth and foldable. Try cooked spaghetti, gummy worms (candy), or elongated toffee.
- Vacuoles: for the animal cell you can use spherical gummy candies that are not too large, preferably of uniform and translucent color (remember that vacuoles are pockets of water and enzymes). For the plant cell, you need significantly larger material. If you really want to do some precision work, you can make some jelly spheres in advance (maybe an extra-dense kind) and then try to fit them into the cell model.
- Microtubules can be shaped with pieces of raw spaghetti and, depending on the scale you used for the project, even with straws.
- For chloroplasts (found only in plant cells) you can use peas, green jelly candies, or green beans cut in half. Remember that they must be green.
Step 2. Get a jelly mold
Obviously you need a mold to create the cell, but first you have to decide what kind of cell you want to represent, as the animal and plant cells have different shapes.
- If you want to reproduce a plant cell, you will need a rectangular dish, preferably a porcelain one. The dish will be both the membrane and the cell wall.
- If you have decided to make an animal cell, then you need a round or elliptical dish, such as those for flans. Again, the pan can represent the membrane, or you can extract the gelatin and wrap it in cling film assuming this is the membrane.
Step 3. Make the jelly
Cook it following the instructions on the package. Generally you have to boil some water on the stove and then add the powder. Carefully transfer the boiling liquid to the pan and then place everything in the refrigerator for at least an hour or until the gelatin is almost hardened. Do not wait until it has completely solidified: your goal is for the gelatin to wrap and solidify around the structures you will insert as a representation of the organelles.
If you can't find clear jelly, buy the lightest color possible, such as orange or yellow. You can also learn how to make jelly from scratch, do some research online to find the recipe
Step 4. Add cellular elements
Start putting them inside the jelly. Here's how you should arrange them:
- Put the nucleus in the center (unless it is a plant cell).
- The centrosome goes close to the nucleus.
- The smooth endoplasmic reticulum must be placed close to the nucleus.
- The Golgi apparatus also goes close to the nucleus, although further away than the endoplasmic reticulum.
- Add the rough endoplasmic reticulum on the side of the smooth one furthest from the nucleus.
- Arrange the other organelles according to the available space left. Try not to overcrowd the cell. In real ones, there are only a few structures floating in the cytoplasm and they can be mixed at random.
Step 5. Return the model to the refrigerator
Wait for the gelatin to harden completely for at least an hour or two.
Step 6. Prepare a table or legend describing the various elements
After you have arranged all the structures of the cell, make a list of them to identify them in your model. For example, you can write: "Gelatin = Cytoplasm", "Licorice = Wrinkled endoplasmic reticulum". You will probably need to explain your model and describe the various components later.
Method 3 of 3: Using Building Materials
Step 1. Get all the materials
Here are some ideas:
- You can use a piece of Styrofoam as a base for the cell. Fine art or craft stores have spheres of this material (if you want to recreate an animal cell) that are similar in size to a basketball. Rectangular parallelepipeds are also available (if you want to make a plant cell).
- Cardboard is very useful for creating many structures, such as the Golgi apparatus or the rough endoplasmic reticulum.
- Straws or small tubes are useful for tubular structures. The microtubules can be represented with straight straws, while the smooth endoplasmic reticulum can be constructed with foldable ones or with tubes.
- For other structures (such as mitochondria or chloroplasts) you can rely on beads of various sizes and shapes. Remember to keep the right proportions with the rest of the organelles.
- Clay can be used for those structures that are difficult to recreate with existing materials.
- The paint will help you differentiate the cytoplasm from the outer cell wall. You can also paint the clay structures you have modeled.
Step 2. Cut out a section of the Styrofoam base, it should be ¼ of the entire block
Measure the base and mark the dots in the middle of each side. Draw the cutting lines and proceed with a precision cutter or similar tool to remove ¼ of the structure.
- For the plant cell, draw lines from the middle of two adjacent sides to where they intersect.
- If you are preparing an animal cell, draw a line as if you were drawing the equator and meridians of a sphere.
Step 3. Color the cell
Paint the inside of the cut out section to highlight the structures. You can also paint the exterior with a contrasting color to differentiate the cytoplasm.
Step 4. Prepare the elements of the cell
You can create them with the materials listed above.
The most difficult structures are those to be modeled with clay. Try to represent them in the simplest way possible, without losing realism. It is best to use this material only for the simplest structures and to rely on other elements already formed for the other complex organelles, such as tubes for the smooth endoplasmic reticulum
Step 5. Add the organelles to the cell
Insert them into the Styrofoam base with hot glue, regular glue, toothpicks, staples or even pins - use whichever method you prefer. In some cases you will have to literally dig or cut out space in the Styrofoam to house the structures.
The Golgi apparatus and the rough endoplasmic reticulum can be modeled with cardboard. In this case, make incisions in the Styrofoam and slip each piece of cardboard into them to create an "accordion" element
Step 6. Prepare a table or legend describing the various elements
After arranging all the cell structures, make a list of them to identify them in your model. You will probably need to explain your model and describe the various components later.
Advice
- If a friend or one of your parents helps you, you will be quicker to arrange the various parts.
- Make sure you have enough time for the gelatin to solidify after adding the "organelles". If possible, leave it in the refrigerator overnight.
- Be very careful when taking the model out of the refrigerator.
