First Exams 2025

B2.2 Organelles and

Compartmentalization
Theme: Form and Function

Level of Organisation: Cells

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Combined Content
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From
IB Guiding Questions the IB

How are organelles in cells adapted to their functions?

What are the advantages of compartmentalization in
cells?
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From
SL & HL Content: B2.2: the IB

Organelles and Compartmentalization

B2.2.1: Organelles as discrete subunits of cells that are adapted to

perform specific functions
B2.2.2: Advantage of the separation of the nucleus and cytoplasm into
separate compartments
B2.2.3: Advantages of compartmentalization in the cytoplasm of cells
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SL & HL Key Terms

Organelles Transcription
Cell Fractionation Translation
Ultrafiltration Metabolites
Plasma Membrane Enzymes
Homogenization Lysosome
Nucleus Phagocytosis
Cytoplasm Phagocytic Vacuole
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From
B2.2.1: Organelles as discrete subunits of the IB

cells that are adapted to perform specific

functions
Students should understand that the cell wall, cytoskeleton and
cytoplasm are not considered organelles, and that nuclei, vesicles,
ribosomes and the plasma membrane are.
Nature of Science: Students should recognize that progress in science
often follows development of new techniques.
For example, study of the function of individual organelles became
possible when ultracentrifuges had been invented and methods of using
them for cell fractionation had been developed.
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Animal Cell

❓ Draw a labelled
diagram of an
animal cell.

If you need a reminder,

you can review your
notes from Topic A2.2
Cell Structure.
Animal Cell Diagram
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Diagram of an Animal Cell

Plasma membrane Rough endoplasmic

reticulum
Golgi apparatus
80S Ribosomes

Secretory vesicles

Smooth endoplasmic
Cytoplasm
reticulum

Mitochondrion
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Cell Organelles
Organelles are compartmentalized subcellular structures found within
a cell, which have a specific functions.
The following cell structures are not considered organelles:
● Cell wall which is an extracellular structure
● Cytoplasm is the gel-like fluid spread throughout the cell. It does
not have a compartmentalized structure
● Cytoskeleton is found throughout the cell, but does not have a
compartmentalized structure.
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Plasma Membrane
The plasma membrane is a phospholipid
bilayer which surrounds and encloses
the cell.
The plasma membrane controls what
enters and exits the cell.
The IB considers the plasma membrane to
be an organelle, even though it is not a
subcellular structure.
The plasma membrane is not normally
considered an organelle by scientists. Eukaryotic Animal Structures including Organelles
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Ultracentrifugation
The development of
ultracentrifugation
allowed scientists to
study the function of
individual organelles.
Read the section of
the linked article on
cell fractionation.

❓ Describe how
organelles can be
separated using
ultracentrifugation
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Cell Fractionation
Scientist prepare cells for ultracentrifugation by cell fractionation. Cell
fractionation is a process which separates cell organelles while
preserving their functions.
Cell Fractionation involves the following steps:

1. Homogenization: Tissue, containing cells, is broken up in a blender.

The cells are blended in a cold, buffered solution which is isotonic
to the cytoplasm of the cells.
2. The blended solution is filtered to remove large cell debris.
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Ultracentrifugation
Ultracentrifugation uses a fast centrifuge to separate the cell organelles
according to density, through the following steps:
1. The filtered solution containing the cell organelles is spun at low
speed by an ultracentrifuge.
2. The densest organelles (nucleus) form a pellet at the bottom of the
centrifuge tube.
3. The pellet is removed, and the process is repeated at faster speeds,
producing a series of pellets containing one type of organelle each
time.
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From
B2.2.2: Advantage of the separation of the the IB
nucleus and cytoplasm into separate
compartments

Limit to separation of the activities of gene transcription and

translation—post-transcriptional modification of mRNA can happen
before the mRNA meets ribosomes in the cytoplasm.
In prokaryotes this is not possible—mRNA may immediately meet
ribosomes.
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The Nucleus
Eukaryotic cells store their chromosomes
in a nucleus. The chromosomes contain
the genetic information, in the form of
DNA, for the growth and development of
the cell.
Genes in chromosomes are transcribed
into mRNA within the nucleus.
The mRNA leaves the nucleus to be
translated into polypeptides by
ribosomes. Eukaryotic nucleus
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Separation of the Nucleus and Cytoplasm

DNA is protected in the nucleus from
potentially harmful reactions in the
cytoplasm.
The processes of transcription of DNA to
mRNA occurs in the nucleus. The mRNA is
modified before entering the cytoplasm.
The nucleus separates the process of
transcription from metabolism occurring in
the cytoplasm of the cell.
The mRNA leaves the nucleus to be Micrograph of the Nucleus surrounded by mitochondria

transcribed into polypeptides by ribosomes.

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Transcription and Translation in Prokaryotes

Prokaryotes do not have a

nucleus, which means there is
no separation of the processes
of transcription and translation.

As mRNA is being transcribed,

ribosomes attach to the mRNA
and translation can begin.
Transcription and Translation in Prokaryotes
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From
B2.2.3: Advantages of compartmentalization the IB

in the cytoplasm of cells

Include concentration of metabolites and enzymes and the separation of

incompatible biochemical processes.
Include lysosomes and phagocytic vacuoles as examples.
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Compartmentalization
Organelles are specialized structures
which compartmentalize different
processes, allowing for greater efficiency.
Organelles provide a protective
environment for specialized activities in
the cell.
Organelles are able to store and use
concentrations of metabolites and
enzymes which are not compatible with
metabolism occurring within the Plant Cell Structure including many Specialized Organelles.

cytoplasm of a cell.
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Lysosomes
Lysosomes are membrane bound organelles which
contain digestive enzymes.
The main function of lysosomes is the digestion of
macromolecules within the cell.
Lysosome
The digestive enzymes within a lysosome are capable
of digesting other cell components, and are kept
separate from the cytoplasm and other cell
structures by the membrane surrounding lysosomes.
When a cell is damaged, the enzymes are released Lysosome

from lysosomes, resulting in the digestion of the cell.

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Phagocytic Vacuole

❓ Explain how
phagocytic
vacuoles are
involved in
phagocytosis
of a bacterium
cell.
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Phagocytosis
Phagocytosis is process by which solid
materials, such as bacteria, are taken
into a cell by endocytosis.
A bacterium is taken into a cell by
endocytosis, forming a phagocytic
vacuole.
Lysosomes fuse with the phagocytic
vacuole to form a phagosome.
The lysosome’s enzymes digest the
Phagocytosis
bacterium.
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Review and Discuss: SL & HL Key Terms

Organelles Transcription
Cell Fractionation Translation
Ultrafiltration Metabolites
Plasma Membrane Enzymes
Homogenization Lysosome
Nucleus Phagocytosis
Cytoplasm Phagocytic Vacuole
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From
B2.2 Organelles and the IB

Compartmentalization- IB Linking
Questions

What are examples of structure–function correlations at each level of

biological organization?
What separation techniques are used by biologists?