A eukaryotic cell compartmentalizes chemistry into membrane-bound organelles. Mitochondria oxidize glucose to make ATP; the ER and Golgi synthesize, fold, and route proteins into vesicles for transport.
Glucose + 6 O2 → 6 CO2 + 6 H2O + ~30 ATP
Vesicle flux Φ ∝ (ER output rate) × (Golgi throughput)
- Cutaway — slices away the plasma membrane hemisphere to reveal internal organelles.
- Mitochondria count — sets how many mitochondria populate the cytoplasm (metabolically active cells have more).
- Metabolic rate — speeds up mitochondrial pulsing and cytoplasmic streaming, a proxy for cellular energy demand.
- Vesicle traffic toggle — animates small spheres budding from the ER/Golgi and moving to the membrane, modeling the secretory pathway.
Real-world application: understanding organelle structure underlies diagnosing mitochondrial diseases and designing drugs that target specific cellular compartments.