What is a cell?

Cells are the basic building blocks of all living things

Cells provide structure for the body, take in nutrients from food and convert them into
energy, and carry out specialized functions.

Cells contain the body’s hereditary material and can make copies of themselves.

Cells have many parts, each with a different function and some of these parts, called
organelles, are specialized structures that perform tasks within the cell

Cell theory:
1) All organisms are made of 1 or more cells
2) All cells come from preexisting cells
3) Cells perform vital functions of an organism
4) Cells have hereditary information needed to regulate functions and
generate new cells
Properties of Cells:
1) Reproduction by cell division
2) Use of enzymes and other proteins
3) Metabolism
4) Response to external and internal stimuli
5) Cell contents are contained in a cell surface membrane

Euk. VS Prok. Cells