What term describes intracellular structures with specific functions?

• A. Organs
• B. Cells
• C. Organelles
• D. Tissues

Answer: (C)

Specialized structures inside a cell that perform particular tasks are organelles. Each organelle has a distinct role, like producing energy in mitochondria, housing genetic material in the nucleus, or synthesizing proteins in ribosomes. Organelles are the functional components within the cell, working together in the cytoplasm to keep the cell alive and functioning. The other terms refer to larger levels of organization beyond the cellular level—cells are the basic units of life, tissues are groups of similar cells, and organs are structures made of tissues that carry out broader functions. Because this question focuses on the structures inside a cell that have specific duties, the correct term is organelles.