Editing Organelle (section)

== Eukaryotic organelles ==
[[Eukaryote|Eukaryotic]] cells are structurally complex, and by definition are organized, in part, by interior compartments that are themselves enclosed by lipid membranes that resemble the outermost [[cell membrane]]. The larger organelles, such as the [[cell nucleus|nucleus]] and [[vacuoles]], are easily visible with the [[light microscope]]. They were among the first biological discoveries made after the invention of the [[microscope]].

Not all eukaryotic cells have each of the organelles listed below. Exceptional organisms have cells that do not include some organelles (such as mitochondria) that might otherwise be considered universal to eukaryotes.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Fahey RC, Newton GL, Arrick B, Overdank-Bogart T, Aley SB | title = Entamoeba histolytica: a eukaryote without glutathione metabolism | journal = Science | volume = 224 | issue = 4644 | pages = 70–2 | date = April 1984 | pmid = 6322306 | doi = 10.1126/science.6322306 | bibcode = 1984Sci...224...70F }}</ref> The several [[plastid]]s  including [[chloroplast]]s are distributed among some but not all eukaryotes.

There are also occasional exceptions to the number of membranes surrounding organelles, listed in the tables below (e.g., some that are listed as double-membrane are sometimes found with single or triple membranes). In addition, the number of individual organelles of each type found in a given cell varies depending upon the function of that cell. The cell membrane and cell wall are not organelles.

{| class="wikitable" align="center"
|+'''''Major eukaryotic organelles'''''
!Organelle
!Main function
!Structure
!Organisms
!Notes

|-
|[[chloroplast]] ([[plastid]])||[[photosynthesis]], traps energy from sunlight||double-membrane compartment||plants, algae, rare [[Kleptoplasty|kleptoplastic organisms]]||has own DNA; theorized to be engulfed by the ancestral [[archaeplastid]] cell (endosymbiosis)
|-
|[[endoplasmic reticulum]]||translation and folding of new proteins (rough endoplasmic reticulum), expression of lipids (smooth endoplasmic reticulum)||single-membrane compartment||all eukaryotes||rough endoplasmic reticulum is covered with ribosomes (which are bound to the ribosome membrane), has folds that are flat sacs; smooth endoplasmic reticulum has folds that are tubular
|-
|[[flagellum]]||locomotion, sensory||protein
| some eukaryotes
|
|-
|[[Golgi apparatus]]||sorting, packaging, processing and modification of proteins||single-membrane compartment||all eukaryotes||cis-face (convex) nearest to rough endoplasmic reticulum; trans-face (concave) farthest from rough endoplasmic reticulum
|-
|[[mitochondrion]]||energy production from the oxidation of glucose substances and the release of [[adenosine triphosphate]]||double-membrane compartment||most eukaryotes||constituting element of the [[chondriome]]; has own DNA; theorized to have been engulfed by an ancestral eukaryotic cell (endosymbiosis)<ref>{{cite book | first1 = Bruce | last1 = Alberts | first2 = Alexander | last2 = Johnson | first3 = Julian | last3 = Lewis | first4 = David | last4 = Morgan | first5 = Martin C | last5 = Raff | first6 = Keith | last6 = Roberts | first7 = Peter | last7 = Walter | first8 = John H | last8 = Wilson | first9 = Tim | last9 = Hunt | name-list-style = vanc |title=Molecular biology of the cell |publisher=Garland Science |isbn=978-0815345244 |page=679 |edition=Sixth |date=2014-11-18 }}</ref>
|-
|[[cell nucleus|nucleus]]||DNA maintenance, controls all activities of the cell, RNA [[Transcription (genetics)|transcription]]||double-membrane compartment||all eukaryotes ||contains bulk of [[genome]]
|-
|[[vacuole]]||storage, transportation, helps maintain [[homeostasis]]||single-membrane compartment||all eukaryotes||
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" align="center"
|+'''''Minor eukaryotic organelles and cell components'''''
!Organelle/Macromolecule
!Main function
!Structure
!Organisms
|-
|[[acrosome]]||helps spermatozoa fuse with ovum||single-membrane compartment||most animals (including sponges)
|-
|[[autophagosome]]||vesicle that sequesters cytoplasmic material and organelles for degradation||double-membrane compartment||all eukaryotes
|-
|[[centriole]]||anchor for [[cytoskeleton]], organizes cell division by forming spindle fibers||[[Microtubule]] protein||animals
|-
|[[cilium]]||movement in or of external medium; "critical developmental signaling pathway".<ref name="badano2006">{{cite journal | vauthors = Badano JL, Mitsuma N, Beales PL, Katsanis N | title = The ciliopathies: an emerging class of human genetic disorders | journal = Annual Review of Genomics and Human Genetics | volume = 7 | pages = 125–48 | date = September 2006 | pmid = 16722803 | doi = 10.1146/annurev.genom.7.080505.115610 }}</ref>  ||[[Microtubule]] protein||animals, protists, few plants
|-
|[[cnidocyte|cnidocyst]]||stinging||coiled hollow tubule||[[cnidaria]]ns
|-
|[[eyespot apparatus]]||detects light, allowing [[phototaxis]] to take place|| ||[[green algae]] and other unicellular [[photosynthesis|photosynthetic]] organisms such as [[euglenids]]
|-
|[[glycosome]]||carries out [[glycolysis]]||single-membrane compartment||Some [[protozoa]], such as ''[[Trypanosomatid|Trypanosome]]s''.
|-
|[[glyoxysome]]||conversion of fat into sugars||single-membrane compartment||plants
|-
|[[hydrogenosome]]||energy & hydrogen production||double-membrane compartment||a few unicellular eukaryotes
|-
|[[lysosome]]||breakdown of large molecules (e.g., proteins + polysaccharides)||single-membrane compartment||animals
|-
|[[melanosome]]||pigment storage||single-membrane compartment||animals
|-
|[[mitosome]]||probably plays a role in [[Iron–sulfur cluster]] (Fe–S) assembly||double-membrane compartment||a few unicellular eukaryotes that lack mitochondria
|-
|[[myofibril]]||[[myocyte]] contraction||bundled filaments||animals
|-
|[[nucleolus]]||pre-ribosome production||protein–DNA–RNA||most eukaryotes
|-
|[[ocelloid]]||detects light and possibly shapes, allowing [[phototaxis]] to take place||double-membrane compartment||members of the family [[Warnowiaceae]]
|-
|[[parenthesome]]||not characterized||not characterized||fungi
|-
|[[peroxisome]]||breakdown of metabolic hydrogen peroxide||single-membrane compartment||all eukaryotes
|-
|[[porosome]]||secretory portal||single-membrane compartment||all eukaryotes
|-
|[[proteasome]]||degradation of unneeded or damaged proteins by proteolysis||very large protein complex||all eukaryotes, all archaea, and some bacteria
|-
|[[ribosome]] (80S)||[[Translation (genetics)|translation]] of RNA into proteins||RNA-protein||all eukaryotes
|-
|[[stress granule]]
|mRNA storage<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Anderson P, Kedersha N | title = Stress granules: the Tao of RNA triage | journal = Trends in Biochemical Sciences | volume = 33 | issue = 3 | pages = 141–50 | date = March 2008 | pmid = 18291657 | doi = 10.1016/j.tibs.2007.12.003 }}</ref>
|membraneless
([[mRNP]] complexes)
|most eukaryotes
|-
|[[TIGER domain]]
|mRNA encoding proteins
|membraneless
|most organisms
|-
|[[Vault_(organelle)|vault]]
|unclear; possibly nuclear-cytoplasmic transport
|RNA-protein
|most eukaryotes (including all higher eukaryotes)
|-
|[[vesicle (biology)|vesicle]]||material transport||single-membrane compartment||all eukaryotes
|}

Other related structures:
* [[cytosol]]
* [[endomembrane system]]
* [[nucleosome]]
* [[microtubule]]