Tsütoplasma

Tsütoplasma, or cytoplasm, is the jelly-like substance inside a cell that lies between the plasma membrane and the nucleus. It includes the cytosol, a viscous aqueous solution of water, ions, nutrients, and enzymes, as well as the organelles suspended within it and the cytoskeleton that provides structure and enables movement.

The cytoplasm's components play distinct roles. The cytosol hosts many metabolic pathways, such as glycolysis, and contains the enzymes and substrates needed for these reactions. Membrane-bound organelles, including mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, lysosomes, and peroxisomes, carry out specialized functions. Ribosomes, either free in the cytosol or attached to membranes, synthesize proteins. The cytoskeleton—composed of microfilaments, intermediate filaments, and microtubules—gives the cell its shape, organizes internal transport, and facilitates movement.

Functions of tsütoplasma extend beyond metabolism. It serves as a workspace where enzymes interact, products are formed, and molecules are trafficked via vesicles along cytoskeletal tracks. It participates in signal transduction and helps maintain cellular tension and organization. In some plant and algal cells, cytoplasmic streaming distributes nutrients and cellular components to distant regions of the cell.

Distinctions are important for context. In eukaryotes, the cytoplasm encompasses the cytosol plus organelles but excludes the nucleus; in prokaryotes, it refers to the interior region inside the cell envelope without a defined nucleus or membrane-bound organelles. Overall, tsütoplasma is essential to cellular metabolism, structure, and dynamics.