Cells
Now that we know what a cell is, my next question would be what makes up a cell? A cell is composed of many different organelles that each function together. These organelles consist of the cell membrane, the mitochondria (which should not be referred to as “the powerhouse” as learned from my professor), cytoplasm, etc. Each of these organelles are needed for the cell to be able to function in a proper way. It is like the real world; at work, each person is expected to perform their role to allow everything to go smoothly and work properly. This is exactly what happens in a cell, each organelle works together to allow the cell to work properly. It is important for cells to have organelles because they do things like store genetic information (nuclei), produce chemical energy (mitochondria), and assemble proteins (ribosomes) (National Human Genome Research Institute, 2024).
Now to get into the complexity of a cell! There are two distinct types of cells. One being a prokaryotic cell meaning that the cell is a single-celled organism rather than what is called a eukaryotic cell. As you may have guessed, a eukaryotic cell is a multicellular organism. So, to put this into simple terms, think about fungi or bacteria, that is what we call a prokaryotic cell. On the other hand, think about humans, plants, and animals, those are eukaryotic cells. Eukaryotic cells also have membrane bound organelles whereas prokaryotic cells do not. To break this down even more, there is a difference between plant and animal cells. For instance, plant and animal cells do not have the same organelles. A plant cell has chloroplast which allows it to conduct photosynthesis. Plant cells also have a central vacuole which “stores bubbles withing the cell which contains water, nutrients, and waste products” (TAMU, 2020). Lastly, the plant cell has a cell wall which protects and provides shape for the cell.
There are countless cells within the human body that allow our bodies to function every day. Growing up you are taught about cells in middle school science and then again in high school biology. When I got to college, I thought I was done, I thought I knew everything there was to learn about cells because I had learned about them so many times in the past. But boy was I wrong. In my biology class I learned that cells are more complex than I ever had imagined. Think about a basketball team and how each person is an individual there to complete a certain task. Each of them is special and unique in their own individual ways, but they have one common goal and that is to win. That is how I view a cell, each individual organelle is there for a reason and to play its part put the overall goal of the cell is that same and that is to “provide structure for the body, take in nutrients from food, convert those nutrients into energy, and carry out specialized functions. Cells also contain the body's hereditary material and can make copies of themselves” (NLM, 2021). So do not forget to thank your cells because they are important.
References
NCI Dictionary of Cancer terms. Comprehensive Cancer Information - NCI. (n.d.). https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/cell#
Organelle. Genome.gov. (n.d.). https://www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/Organelle#:~:text=An%20organelle%20is%20a%20subcellular,and%20ribosomes%2C%20which%20assemble%20proteins.
Plant vs. animals cells. (n.d.). https://vetmed.tamu.edu/peer/wp-content/uploads/sites/72/2020/08/plant_v__animal_cells_mapping_filled_in.pdf
What is a cell?: MedlinePlus Genetics. (n.d.). Retrieved September 19, 2024, from https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/basics/cell/
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