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= Intro: =

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Euglena are single-celled organisms that could possibly be the next superfood. Euglena are very unique because they are neither a plant cell or a animal cell. That means they can do many different things like being able to perform photosynthesis and having special parts to their structure that other cells do not have. Euglenoids have a mixture of many different parts to their structure that are specific for the animal cell or plant cell as well. Euglena are amazing cells that someday will help the world in multiple ways.

= How They Perform Photosynthesis: = Have you ever wondered how euglenoids perform **photosynthesis**( the process in which a cell gathers nutrients)? Sense euglenoids are neither plant or animal cells they have abilities from both of the cells. A euglena can perform photosynthesis and have parts of their structure( parts to the cell) that only animal cells have. The euglena perform photosynthesis by using their **chloroplast**( an organelle that helps the cell perform photosynthesis) to gather up the nutrients from the environment. The part to their structure that only animal cells contain is the **flagella**, that allows the cell to move.

= How Euglena Get Food: =

Euglenoids have many ways to get food. One way is to use the process called photosynthesis, they use photosynthesis by using their chloroplast to collect the nutrients from the environment. The second way is eating the other algae that is around the euglenoids. The ** eyespot ** ( or stigma) helps the flagellum move the cell toward light to perform photosynthesis. Once the food is gathered it is put into the storage area (the ** reservoir ** ).

Euglena picture from: http://www.infovisual.info/02/001_en.html

= Structure of Euglena Cells: =

Euglena are a mix of plant and animal cells, so they have many parts to their structure that are specific for both types of cells. They have a flagella and that is specific for the animal cells, and chloroplast and a vacuole( extracts the extra water because if it didn’t the cell would explode) which usually are specific for a plant cell( the vacuole are usually in plant cells but some animal cells have small vacuole). There are also the **nucleus**( the control center of the cell, it observes all of the activity from the cell), stigma, reservoir, and pellicle.

= Euglena Function: =

Euglena’s structure contains many different parts that aren’t from just one cell alone, the have parts the are from plant cells and animal cells, as well as parts that are random. Euglena have a flagellum which is a long antenna-like thing on top of the cell and it allows the cell to move. The stigma helps the flagellum move toward the light to perform photosynthesis and get the nutrients needed. The reservoir is the storage area for the euglena. The **pellicle** is a cell membrane that is made of proteins. Finally, the chloroplast, the chloroplast is the organelle that allows the cell to perform photosynthesis.

= Superfood?: =

Euglena have many amazing personalities, but this one might be the best. Euglena have the possibility to be the next **superfood**( a food that is extremely healthy). Euglena could help the world so much by helping them be extremely healthy. The euglena could be used in shakes and other drinks/food. They can also be good for smooth skin and more lustrous hair. It can be great for global warming too! As well as all the others, euglena have a high amount of vitamin A, B, and C. It can help with global warming because it absorbs the CO2 and the coal in the air and collects it.

toc = Conclusion: = In conclusion, not only will euglena will be able to be the next superfood, but they will save the world of global warming and save people of dry skin. Euglena are the most environmentally helpful cell on earth, being only a single celled organism. They also are very different because they can perform photosynthesis and have parts to their structure that are specific to certain cells. Do you think euglena are harmful or helpful?

= References: = Works Cited

“Euglena the World’s Most Interesting Protist.” wordpress.com. wordpress.com, 17 Apr. 2013. Web. 22 Feb. 2016. .

Haeckel, Ernst. “Why Euglena Is Not Considered Either a Plant or an Animal?” scienceline.ucsb.edu. U of California, n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2016. .

Jedlicka, Martin. “The Little Green Organism That Might save the World.” Daily Kos. Kos Media, 27 July 2013. Web. 3 Mar. 2016. . = Piscataway, Nj. “Flagellar Systems in the Euglenoid Flagellates.” ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. PubMed, 2009. Web. 22 Feb. 2016. . =