What are Cells?

Cells are the smallest and basic units of life, whether it is a single cell that forms the entire organism, e.g., in a bacterium, or trillions of them, e.g., in humans. No matter what organism a cell is a part of, they share specific characteristics.

Basic Characteristics of Cells

A living cell has a plasma membran...

From single-celled bacteria to multicellular plants and animals, cells are the basic building blocks of every organism.

They can be classified into two broad categories— prokaryotic and eukaryotic.

Prokaryotic cells are relatively simple structures that lack membrane-bound organelles, barring a few exceptions. Their DNA is freely b...