How to Make Animal Cell Models

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This article was co-written by Bess Ruff, MA. Bess Ruff is a graduate student in geography at Florida. She received her Master’s degree in Environmental Science and Management from the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UC Santa Barbara in 2016. She has conducted survey work for marine spatial planning projects in the coastal area. Caribbean and support research as a contributor to the Sustainable Fisheries Group.

There are 7 references cited in this article that you can view at the bottom of the page.

This article has been viewed 28,175 times.

Cells are one of the important structural units of living organisms. When you’re studying biology at school, your teacher might give you the task of modeling animal cells to help you understand cell function. You may also want to create a model of a cell to display at a science fair. With just a few simple materials, you can make your own cell model to reinforce your knowledge and teach others.

Table of Contents

Preparing to make models

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Understand the assigned task. If you are going to make a model to bring to a science fair or to complete a homework assignment, you need to know the rules and requirements of this assignment. There are many types of animal cell models you can make, and you want to do the best you can. Make sure you fully understand what you need to do. Some important things you need to ask yourself (or ask your teacher) include:

Do you have to design the model yourself or will you follow the teacher’s instructions?
Is the model edible or not?
What components of an animal cell should the model include?
Size of the model?
Deadline to complete?
Does the model have to be in 3D?

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Learn the components of an animal cell. One of the most important goals of an animal cell model is to accurately represent each part of the cell. Remember that animal cells and plant cells are very different: They have different components, and animal cells are asymmetrical like plant cells. ^{[1] X Research Resources} You need to know each component of a cell, including their function, shape, and location in the cell. These factors will help make your model more accurate. The components of animal cells that you will make include:

Core. Location of the nucleus in the center of the cell. The nucleus contains DNA. The nucleus is also the site of protein synthesis. ^{[2] X Research Source}
Nuclear. This organelle is the site of RNA synthesis. The nucleus is located in the nucleus of the cell. ^{[3] X Research Source} Nuclear is usually slightly darker than the kernel. ^{[4] X Research Sources}
Nuclear membrane. This is the thin membrane that surrounds the nucleus. ^{[5] X Research Sources}
Central body. The centrosomes form microtubules and are located just outside the nucleus. ^{[6] X Research Sources}
Membrane. The cell membrane is the thin membrane that surrounds the cell, made up of proteins and fats. ^{[7] X Source of Research} Cell membranes allow some matter to pass through, while also protecting other organic matter inside the cell. ^{[8] X Research Sources}
Cytoplasm. This is an intracellular substance, located outside the nucleus and inside the cell membrane. The cytoplasm contains other organelles responsible for controlling cellular functions, and has a jelly-like texture. ^{[9] X Research Source}
Lysosomes. These organelles help in the digestion of certain materials and are spherical in shape. ^{[10] X Research Source}
Ribosomes. Ribosomes are very small and granular. They aid in protein synthesis. ^{[11] X Research Source}
Gpgi Department. These organelles look like a stack of flattened circles. They help form membranes for other organelles. ^{[12] X Research Source}
Vacuole. These are asymmetrical vesicles filled with fluid and covered with membranes. They are used as waste repositories. ^{[13] X Research Source}
Endoplasmic membrane. This is a system of corrugated and interconnected tubules in the cell, responsible for transporting substances from one place to another inside the cell. The endoplasmic reticulum is surrounded by ribosomes called the rough endoplasmic reticulum , and the endoplasmic membrane is not surrounded by ribosomes called the smooth endoplasmic reticulum . The smooth endoplasmic reticulum radiates from the rough endoplasmic reticulum.
Mitochondrial. Mitochondria are responsible for converting glucose into energy for the cell. ^{[14] X Research Source} They are spherical or rod-shaped. ^{[15] X Research Source}

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Draw an animal cell diagram. If there is no annotated diagram of the components of an animal cell, you should draw it yourself. You need a detailed and complete diagram on which to plan, design and execute the model. Make sure the diagram is large enough that you can annotate each part of the cell clearly and accurately. Always keep this map by your side to get it right.

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Do it early. Depending on the type of model you intend to make, it may take a long time to assemble. For example, clay must have enough time to harden, gelatin must solidify, and you may have to go shopping for other materials as well. Give yourself plenty of time to plan and create the best cell model possible.

Create edible models with gelatin

READ More: How to Blow Smoke Rings

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Buy ingredients at the grocery store. You can easily make edible cell models using common and inexpensive ingredients at the supermarket or grocery store. You have the flexibility to choose specific materials to shape cell components. Usually, however, you will need light colored gelatin to represent the cytoplasm, a plastic bag for the cell membrane, various candies, fruits and seeds to represent the organelles and other components of the protein. cell. In general, some suitable ingredients that you need to buy include: ^{[16] X Research Sources}

Light colored gelatin mixes, such as lemon flavored jello. You can also buy clear or light colored fruit juices (such as lemonade) and unflavored gelatin packets. This material will be used to make cytoplasm. It is important that you choose a light color so that the other elements of the cell stand out.
A large fruit with seeds to represent the cause (fruit) and kernel (seed). Depending on the size of the model, you can use plums, peaches, apricots or cherries.
Small, round candies or fruits. This material will represent the lysosome. For example, M&Ms, Skittles, gum tablets or grapes can be very suitable for making lysosomes. ^{[17] X Research Source}
Candies or fruits are egg-shaped or stick-shaped to represent mitochondria. Raisins, blueberries, Mike & Ike or dried apricots all work well, depending on the size of the model.
Candy or fruit that is larger and of any shape. These will represent vacuoles. Small banana slices, hard candies, or ring-shaped marshmallows are good choices. ^{[18] X Research Sources}
Small candy beads. This material will be used as ribosomes, so they must be much smaller than the materials that make up the other components of the cell. Some good choices might be Tic-Tacs, Nerds, or jelly beans. ^{[19] X Research Source}
A round, solid piece of candy. This will be the centrosome of the cell. Gushers or marshmallows can be very suitable for centrifugation. ^{[20] X Research Source}
Long ridged marshmallow bars. This candy will represent the endoplasmic reticulum. If you want more detail, you can buy a sugar coated (makes rough endoplasmic reticulum) and a smooth type (smooth endoplasmic reticulum). Some great choices are worm marshmallows, worm-shaped sour marshmallows, and twisted candies. ^{[21] X Research Source}
Long, flat marshmallows or rolled candies. When you fold a flat piece of candy, you will have a wonderful model of the Gpgi set. Try using gum bars, fruit rolls, or other fruit marshmallows to represent this organelle. ^{[22] X Research Source}

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Line a clear plastic bag in a large bowl or cup. Many models use clear plastic bags to make cell membranes. It is important to use clear plastic to see the model clearly. Find a large bowl or cup that holds about 4 quarts of liquid and line it with a clear plastic bag. This will be the gelatin pouring mold and the shell of the cell model. ^{[23] X Research Sources}

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Prepare gelatin. Most packets of jelly or gelatin have clear instructions on how to pour the gelatin. Just follow these instructions, except for one: use less liquid than the recipe suggests. This will make your gelatin model more solid and solid, making it easier to keep its shape. ^{[24] X Research Sources} Generally, instructions for preparing gelatin would be as follows:

Dissolve gelatin with boiling water in a heatproof bowl, stirring well. ^{[25] X Research Sources}
Add an equal amount of cold water to the boiling water. ^{[26] X Research Sources}
Wait for the gelatin to cool.
Carefully pour the mixture into the plastic-lined bowl. ^{[27] X Research Source}
Seal bag and refrigerate until gelatin is slightly frozen (45 minutes to 1 hour). ^{[28] X Research Sources}
Remove the plastic bag from the refrigerator when the gelatin is hard enough that the other ingredients won’t sink, but soft enough to stuff candy and fruit deep into the mold.

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Assemble the cell components according to the diagram. Once the gelatin has solidified, you can stuff selected fruits, candies, and nuts to serve as cell organelles and components. Gelatin needs to be soft enough that you can use a spoon, straw, or finger to push the ingredients into their rightful place in the cytoplasm. Be sure to check with the diagram you drew earlier to make sure everything is in place.

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Make an annotation for the model. If you’re taking the model to school or to a science fair, you’ll need to attach a caption to the model so that viewers can distinguish the different components of the cell. Be sure to specify which candies represent which components of the cell. ^{[29] X Research Sources}

If you have to take the model for a long distance, you should use an ice box to keep the model from melting due to heat.

Make an edible model out of cake

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Buy raw materials. To make a 3D cell model with a cake, you will need the right materials to create the structure of the cell (which is the cake), the ingredients for the cytoplasm (the frosting or the light jelly) and the 3D materials to make cell components (nuts, fruit, candy or fondant) You have flexibility in designing cakes and choosing materials to make cell parts Normally, the required materials include: ^{[30] X Research Source}

The sponge cake dough is enough to make a round two-layer cake. You can choose the cake powder with your favorite flavor, light or dark color as you like. You can even choose to bake each layer of cake with one type of dough. This will be the background of the cell.
Cupcakes, a large piece of fruit, or round cookie cutters to create the shape of the cell in the center of the cake.
At least two different shades of frosting. You can choose from two different flavors (like lemon and raspberry) or tint it with pale frosting for an extra pop of color. You should use lighter cream to make the soy sauce on the cake, and use darker cream for the cell membrane on the cake. ^{[31] X Research Source}
Fondant and food coloring. If you want to shape cell parts with fondant, you can buy commercially available fondant and different food colorings to distinguish the organelles. You can also make your own fondant. If you don’t want to shape the cellular components with fondant, you can choose appropriately shaped fruits, candies and nuts instead.
Small, round candies or fruits. This material will represent the lysosome. For example, M&Ms, Skittles, gum tablets or grapes can be very suitable for making lysosomes. ^{[32] X Research Source}
Candies or fruits are egg-shaped or stick-shaped to represent mitochondria. Raisins, dried blueberries, Mike & Ike candies, almonds or dried apricots all work well, depending on the size of the model.
Candy or fruit that is larger and of any shape. These materials will represent vacuoles. Small banana slices, hard candies, brazil nuts or marshmallows are good choices. ^{[33] X Research Sources}
Tiny nut-shaped candies or nuggets. This material will be used as ribosomes, so they must be much smaller than the materials that make up the other components of the cell. Some suitable options might be Tic-Tacs, Nerds, or nuggets. ^{[34] X Research Source}
A round, solid piece of candy. This will be the centrosome of the cell. Gushers or marshmallows can be very suitable for centrifugation. ^{[35] X Research Source}
Long ridged marshmallow bars. These candy bars will represent the endoplasmic reticulum. If you want more detail, you can buy a sugar coated (makes the endoplasmic reticulum) and a smooth (makes the endoplasmic reticulum). Some great choices are worm marshmallows, worm-shaped sour marshmallows, and twisted candies. ^{[36] X Research Source}
Long, flat marshmallows or rolled candies. When you fold a flat piece of candy, you will have a wonderful model of the Gpgi set. Try using gum bars, fruit rolls, or other fruit marshmallows to represent this organelle. ^{[37] X Research Source}

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Bake. Use a round baking tray to bake the pre-mixed muffins according to the instructions on the package. If you like, you can also mix your own dough according to your own recipe, just be sure to mix enough flour to make two round cake layers.

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Cover the cake with cream when it has cooled. Once the cakes are fully cooked and cooled, you can begin to coat them with cream. Spread a thin layer of icing sugar (any color) on top of one cake underneath, then place the other cake on top, carefully placing the two layers to match. Coat the top of the cake with light cream frosting. This layer of cream represents the cytoplasm. Cover the cake with darker cream. This layer of cream represents the cell membrane. ^{[38] X Research Source}

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Decide how to multiply the cell. There are many ways to put the cellulite on the cake. You can cut off the top of the cupcake and place it in the center of the cake, or use a round piece of fruit like apricots or plums cut in half. You can also cut a cookie-sized circle in the top layer of the cake, revealing the cake underneath. Either method makes a very good cellulite, as long as you make sure it’s round and placed in the center of the cake.

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Color and shape fondant. Fondant is an edible and formable material that many cake decorators use to shape smooth and intricate details. If you want to shape parts of the cell, you need to divide the fondant into at least 7 parts, each with its own color scheme using food coloring. Squeeze each cell component by hand, including:

Small, spherical lysosomes
Tiny granule-shaped ribosome
Long, thin endoplasmic reticulum
Solid, spherical centrosome
The Gpgi set is a stack of flat circles
Rod-shaped mitochondria
Empty vacuoles, asymmetrical

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Place the organelles and cell components on the cake. By now you’ve got all the cell’s ingredients on hand, whether it’s fondant or candy and nuts. Arrange these on the cake according to the diagram drawn. Now you can compliment yourself for making a great model!

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Annotate cell components, if necessary. If you need to annotate cell components, you can attach a small flag with the name of the cell component to a toothpick and stick it in its correct place on the cake. That way, everyone will know which candy (or fondant figure) represents which component of the cell.

Create an inedible model using household materials

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Buy materials. You have a variety of ways to create animal cell models using common and inexpensive materials. Think about what materials you already have in your home that can be used. In general, some of the materials required include:

Clay with different colors
Styrofoam round tablets of all sizes
Multi-color paint
Glue
Toothpick
Scissors and/or sharp knife
Zinc velvet
Construction paper
Small, round objects such as buttons, dry noodles, beads, pieces of cardboard or styrofoam, tinsel/cotton, or small pieces of plastic

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Use a hard spherical object as the cell base. A large styrofoam ball is probably the best choice for your cell base. However, you can use any spherical object that is not hollow and can be cut with a knife or scissors, such as a large ball or soft clay. ^{[39] X Research Sources}

If the ball has no color, you can paint the surface of the ball any color you like. You can also use your favorite color of clay to cover the outside of the ball. ^{[40] X Research Source}

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Cut away ¼ of the ball. Use a sharp knife to cut off a quarter of the ball. You can use a pencil to mark the top of the ball, then cut through that point until the knife touches the center of the ball. Lift the knife and rotate the ball exactly 90 degrees and cut another line into the center of the ball. This will help you cut a block exactly 90 degrees of the ball. Thus, you will show the internal structure of the cell in cross-sectional form.

Advice

Don’t wait until the last minute to start working. The edible model may not work the first time (sometimes the gelatin doesn’t solidify, sometimes the cake burns!), and the other ingredients may have to be tested several times. You should deduct the time it takes to redo and correct mistakes.
Remember that if this is your first time doing a scientific model, it’s okay that things don’t go right away. Failure is mother’s success. You should do it early so you can learn from it.
Make sure that each cell structure is represented by an object in the model, and that each part of the model corresponds to a component of the actual cell.
Experiment with different materials to find the best fit. If you don’t like the shape of a part, you can replace it with another material until you have a satisfactory and reasonable model.
Take it easy and do it.

Warning

When baking cakes or making boiling water, you must be very careful not to burn them. Use heat-resistant gloves and heat-resistant tools to avoid accidents.
Be very careful when cutting with scissors or a sharp knife. If you’re young, ask your parents or siblings to help you with difficult cutting operations.
If you’re going to eat or invite people to eat the model, make sure you use hypoallergenic ingredients. ^{[41] X Research Source}

Steps