A cell is a mass of cytoplasm that is bound externally by a cell membrane. Usually microscopic in size, cells are the smallest structural units of living matter and compose all living things. Most cells have one or more nuclei and other organelles that carry out a variety of tasks.
All cells can be sorted into one of two groups: eukaryotes and prokaryotes. A eukaryote has a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles, while a prokaryote does not. Plants and animals are made of numerous eukaryotic cells, while many microbes, such as bacteria, consist of single cells.
There are two basic types of cells, eukaryotic and prokaryotic. Prokaryotic cells are usually single, while eukaryotic cells are usually found in multicellular organisms. Prokaryotes are distinguished from eukaryotes on the basis of nuclear organization, specifically their lack of a nuclear membrane.
Cells may generate their own electrical signals through microscopic membrane motions. Researchers show that active molecular processes can create voltage spikes similar to those used by neurons. These ...
Schematic of an active cell membrane. In a typical active biological process, active proteins (shown in a variety of colors) in a cell membrane (shown in blue) interact with various biological ...
Researchers have discovered that damage to the cell membrane promotes cellular senescence, or cell aging. Our cells are surrounded by a fragile membrane that's only 5 nanometers thick, 1/20 of a soap ...
Cell publishes findings of unusual significance in any area of experimental biology, including but not limited to cell biology, molecular biology, neuroscience, immunology, virology and microbiology, cancer, human genetics, systems biology, signaling, and disease mechanisms and therapeutics.