Background:

 

            Have you ever thought about the food you eat?  Not just where food comes from, but what components it contains?  Food like everything else on the Earth is comprised of millions of cells.  The meats that we consume are composed of animal cells1.  The vegetables we eat are composed of plant cells1.  Every food product from cotton candy and hot dogs to apple pie and squash casserole are derived from some cellular source.  Cells are also the building blocks of our bodies.  As we construct our 3D cells we are going to use a combination of Jell O® 2and Knox® gelatin2 as our cytoplasm and this mixture is derived from a cellular source.  Gelatin3 comes from the processing of protein and is derived through partial hydrolysis of the collagen extracted from skin, bone, cartilage, and ligaments of animals which all contain cells, according to the Wikipedia encyclopedia.  The gelatin producing process4consist of various parts like the hooves, bones, and connective tissues from cows and pigs being ground up and treated with either a strong acid or base to break down the cellular structure and release the collagen and proteins.  Next, the mixture is boiled and the gelatin layer is skimmed from the top.  Gelatin has many uses.  It can be used as a stabilizing agent, a gelling agent, an emulsifier, or a thickener.   Since gelatin is fat free it can even be used to replace fat in low-fat products.  Gelatin leaves a smooth feel in the mouth that is comparable to fat.  Gelatin is even used in the coating on the outside of capsules like Tylenol® Gel caps.  With all it uses gelatin is a very versatile ingredient5 for commercial food processors.  Gelatin also makes incredible edible 3D cells6 as well.

 

 Since cells are the structure of our lives it is important to understand how cells are constructed and how they function.  Cells contain many components.   The components of an animal cell are the cell membrane7 which is the thin layer of protein and fat that surrounds the living cell according to the book Essential Cell Biology8.  The centrosome1 is a small body centrally located near the nucleus.  It is the primary microtubule-organizing center8.   During cell division (mitosis), the centrosome divides and the two parts move to opposite sides of the dividing cell.  The cytoplasm9 is the jellylike material between the cell membrane and outside the nucleus where the organelles are located.  The Golgi body1, named for its discoverer, Camillo Golgi, it is a membrane-bound, flattened, layered, sac-like organelle that looks like a stack of pancakes and it is located near the nucleus. The Golgi body is where proteins and lipids are modified and sorted after leaving the Endoplasmic Reticulum.  The Golgi body packages these proteins and lipids into membrane-bound vesicles for “export” from the cell8.

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Text Box:  The lysosomes10 are round organelles that are membrane-bound and contain digestive enzymes.  Digestion of cell nutrients takes place here8.  The mitochondrion11 or powerhouse of the cell is a spherical-shaped organelle with a double membrane. The inner membrane is folded many times, forming a series of projections called cristae.  The mitochondrion converts the energy stored in glucose into ATP for the cell (oxidative phosphorlation).  The mitochondrion also has its own DNA. The nuclear Envelope12 is the membrane that surrounds the nucleus.  It consist of two lipid bilayer membranes.  The nucleolus13 is the structure in the nucleus where ribosomal RNA is transcribed and ribosomal subunits are assembled8.  The nucleus12 is a spherical body that is the major organelle of the cell.  The nucleus controls many of the functions of the cell.  It controls protein synthesis and contains the DNA in the form of chromosomes14, 8.  The ribosomes15 are small organelles composed of RNA-rich cytoplasmic granules that catalyzes protein synthesis8.  The rough endoplasmic reticulum16 simply referred to as rough ER is a vast system of interconnected, membranous, folded and convoluted sacks that are located in the cell's cytoplasm.  Rough ER is covered with ribosomes that give it a rough appearance almost like a studded leather belt. Rough ER transports materials through the cell and produces proteins in sacks called cisternae that get sent to the Golgi body, or inserted into the cell membrane8.  The smooth endoplasmic reticulum16 or simply smooth ER is a vast system of interconnected, membranous, infolded and convoluted tubes that are located in the cell's cytoplasm.  The space within the ER is called the ER lumen. Smooth ER transports materials through the cell.  It contains enzymes and produces and digests lipids and membrane proteins; smooth ER buds off from rough ER, moving the newly-made proteins and lipids to the Golgi body, lysosomes, and membranes and t is not associated with ribosomes8.  The vacuoles17 are fluid-filled, membrane-surrounded cavities inside a cell.  The vacuoles are essentially vehicles that fill with food being digested and waste material that is on its way out of the cell.  They are more prevalent in plant cell than in animal cells.8

 

 

Objective:

Text Box: Provided by ©Enchanted Learning.com To make an edible 3D animal or plant cell out of gelatin (Jell O®) that contains various candy pieces to represent the organelles inside the cell animal (ribosomes, Golgi apparatus, endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, lysosomes and nucleus) in addition plant cells have chloroplast.  In addition to leaning how cells and Food Science are connected the process of making gelatin is examined.  Also, students will learn about the cells structure and to identify organelles as well as their functions.

 

Target Audience:

            High school freshmen/Sophomores

 

Hypothesis:

            It is the hypothesized that the target audience will learn the structure and function of plant /animal cells.  The target audience will also learn the origin/process for making gelatin.  It is also hypothesized that the importance of food science/processing will be ascertained from this exercise.

 

 

 

Outcome:  What is learned?

 

  1. The connection between cells and Food Science.
  2. What king of construction material we are using.
  3. What is used to make gelatin/Jell O®?
  4. How gelatin is processed.
  5. What can be added to gelatin/Jell O® to make it firmer?
  6. What are some of the uses for gelatin besides desserts?
  7. Look at a 3D view of a cell
  8. Name and list functions of the organelles inside the cell.
  9. Eat the finished product.
  10. Food Science can be educational and fun.

 

 

Provided by Todd Howard & Nick Hoffman Wallace High School Science Department
 

 
 
 

 

 

Materials:

1.      Light colored Jell O® (suggest yellow)

2.      Knox® gelatin

3.      Quart size storage/freezer bags

4.      Twist ties

5.      Microwave /stove to heat water

6.      Empty margarine tubs or Zip-lock® bowls

7.      Organelles (see chart to right)

 
 
Animal Cell Component

Suggested "Building Material"

Golgi Bodies

Hard Ribbon Candy (folded type)

Endoplasmic Reticulum

Gummy worms (regular smooth worms form smooth ER/sugar coated sour worms for rough ER)

Ribosomes

Nerds (Willy Wonka brand)

Mitochondria

Small Jelly Beans (Jelly Belly brand is best)

Vacuoles

4 dots (as in dots candy)

Lysomes

Small green/red sour balls

Nucleus

Medium size jaw breaker (three layered type) outer layer is nuclear membrane, 2nd layer is nucleus, inner layer is nucleolus

cytoplasm

Jell-O (light color)

Centrosome

Round Red Hots

Cell membrane

plastic bag

 

To see plant cell organelles click here3
 
 

 

 


Procedure:

 

  1. Place the freezer/storage bag inside the margarine tub
  2. Follow the direction on the back of the Jell O®  box
  3. Add in a small amount of Knox® gelatin to make the Jell O®  firmer
  4. Slowly pour the Jell O®  mixture into the bag
  5. Use the twist tie to seal the bag
  6. Place tub with bag inside refrigerator
  7. Allow Jell O®  to soft set this takes approximately one hour (refrigerators many vary)
  8. Open the bag and carefully insert the organelles
  9. Return Jell O® to the refrigerator for final firm set.
  10. Remove set  from refrigerator and start answering questions
  11. After questions and labeling are complete peel the plastic bag (cell membrane) away and enjoy eating your cell.

 

 

 

Questions to answer/ activities:

 

  1. Print out the animal cell3 handout and label the parts from your cell.
  2. What are the functions of each organelle listed?
  3. Where does gelatin come from?
  4. Briefly outline the steps in gelatin processing.
  5. Why did we add Knox gelatin to the Jell O®?

           

 

Fun Links:

 

             Jell-O Museum and Gallery

            Edible brain - science and the orphic egg

            Cell construction reference page

            Cells Alive!

            Gelatin Manufacturing

            Gummy Bear Lab

            Make your own Gummy Candy

            How Cells Work

            Animal and Plant Cells

           

 

References:

1.      Sullivan, James A. 1994. Cells Alive. Quill Graphics Charlottesville, Virginia USA www.cellsalive.com.  Accessed April 30, 2005

2.      Kraft foods. 2005 Kraft Food Inc. www.kraftfood.com Accessed April 30, 2005

3.      Collaborative of People around the World. Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia.  Wikimedia Foundation Inc. Last Modified11:37, 2 May 2005.  All Articles are covered under GNU Free Documentation License .  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelatin , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant_cell. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Biological_cell.png.   Accessed April 30, 2005

4.      How Stuff Works Inc. 1998 – 2005. What exactly is Jell –O made from?   www.howstiffworks.com. Accessed April 30, 2005

5.      Rabbi, Mushell, Avraham. 2001. Getting into the Thick of Things. http://www.kashrusmagazine.com/magazine/103/gelatin.html. Accessed April 30, 2005

6.      Technology Inc. 2005. The Incredible, Edible Cell.  http://www.teach-nology.com/worksheets/science/bio/lab1/ Accessed April 30, 2005

7.      Huskey, Robert. J. 1997. Model of a Cell Membrane.  http://www.people.virginia.edu/~rjh9u/cellmemb.html. Accessed April 30, 2005

8.      Alberts, Bruce. Bray, Dennis. Johnson, Alexander. Lewis, Julian. Martin, Raff. Roberts, Keith. Walter, Peter. 1998. Essential Cell Biology An Introduction to the Molecular Biology of the cell   Glossary. Ln. All. Garland Publishing, Inc. 717 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10022  (p G1 – G18)

9.      Davis, Don. Cytoplasm. http://sun.menloschool.org/~birchler/cells/animals/cytoplasm/. Accessed April 30, 2005

10.  Childs, Gwen, V. 1998. Lysosomes. University of Texas  Medical Branch http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://cellbio.utmb.edu/cellbio/lys3.jpg&imgrefurl=http://cellbio.utmb.edu/cellbio/lysosome.htm&h=431&w=613&sz=50&tbnid=pr7fOSRetRwJ:&tbnh=94&tbnw=133&prev=/images?q=lysosomes&hl=en&lr=&oi=imagesr&start=1. Accessed April 30, 2005

11.  Frey, T. Perkins, G. Mitochondria. http://www.scripps.edu/mem/biochem/ayagi/mito.html. Accessed April 2005

12.  Spurger, Linda. 2002. Nuclear Envelope. http://cellbio.utmb.edu/cellbio/nuclear_envelope.htm.  http://cellbio.utmb.edu/cellbio/nucleus.htm. Accessed April 30, 2005.

13.  The Virtual Cell Web Page. 1999. http://personal.tmlp.com/Jimr57/textbook/chapter3/nucs2.htm. Accessed April 30, 2005

14.  Kimball, John, W. 2005. Chromosomes. http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/C/Chromosomes.html. Accessed April 30, 2005

15.  About Inc.  2005.  Journey Into The Cell: Ribosomes. http://biology.about.com/library/weekly/aa033000a.htm. Accessed April 30, 2005

16.  Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum. http://sun.menloschool.org/~birchler/cells/animals/rough_er/. http://sun.menloschool.org/~birchler/cells/animals/smooth_er/. Accessed April 30, 2005

17.  Vacuoles. http://projects.edtech.sandi.net/miramesa/Organelles/vacuole.html. Accessed April 30, 2005