Cytoplasm

The cytoplasm is the jelly-like material that fills the cell between the nucleus and the cell membrane; it is where the cell’s metabolic reactions take place ¹. It is present in plant, animal and bacterial cells.

What It Contains

        cell membrane
      ┌───────────────────┐
      │   ╭───╮           │   nucleus
      │   │ ● │  ○  ○     │   ○ mitochondrion
      │   ╰───╯    ○      │   · enzymes, ions, sugars
      │  ·  ·  ·  ·   ▭   │   ▭ vacuole
      └───────────────────┘
            cytoplasm

• Enzymes — proteins that act as biological catalysts in all metabolic reactions, so reaction rates keep pace with the needs of life ¹.
• Dissolved substances — sugars, ions and other solutes that diffuse through the cytoplasm from one part of the cell to another.
• Organelles — mitochondria, chloroplasts in plants, vacuoles and ribosomes are suspended in it.

Related

• Cell - Structural unit that the cytoplasm fills.
• Cell Membrane - Boundary that contains the cytoplasm.
• Nucleus - Organelle suspended in the cytoplasm.
• Mitochondrion - Organelle in the cytoplasm releasing energy.
• Biology - Cambridge IGCSE life-science area.