If you're seeing this message, it means we're having trouble loading external resources on our website.
If you're behind a web filter, please make sure that the domains *.kastatic.org and *.kasandbox.org are unblocked.
To log in and use all the features of Khan Academy, please enable JavaScript in your browser.
Biology library
Course: biology library > unit 8.
- Scale of cells
Cell theory
- Intro to cells
- Introduction to cells
Want to join the conversation?
- Upvote Button navigates to signup page
- Downvote Button navigates to signup page
- Flag Button navigates to signup page
Video transcript
- Introduction to Cell
Ever thought what living organisms composed of? Or rather what is it that makes us living beings? Here comes the introduction to Cell. The cell is the smallest structural unit of a living organism. So, everything that we are able to do is possible because of the 10 trillion cells present in our body. The number is huge and of course, the function performed by them is even bigger. In this topic here, we’ll introduce you to cells. Let’s begin.
Suggested Videos
The introduction to cell began back in the year 1655 when a revolutionary observation was made by an English scientist Robert Hooke. This observation made by him was so huge that it went on to change the basic biological theory and research forever. So, how was the cell discovered?
Robert Hooke was examining a dried section of the cork tree using a crude light microscope. In this analysis, he observed multiple small chambers which he named the cells. Thereafter, over the next 175 years, several kinds of research were made which led to the formation of the cell theory that we know today.
The first such theory was proposed by the German botanist Matthias Jacob Schleiden and the German physiologist Theodore Schwann in 1838. This theory was formalized in the year 1858 by the German researcher Rudolf Virchow.
Browse more Topics under Cell Structure And Function
- Cell Structure and Functions
- Cell- Number, Shape and Size
Cell Theory
- The cell is the basic functional and structural unit of life. All the living organisms are composed of cells.
- All cells are formed by the division of the already existing cells which in terms of biology means reproduction . Every cell of our body comprises of genetic material which is passed down during the process.
- All the basic physiological and chemical functions i.e. the growth, repair, movement, communication , immunity and digestions are performed inside the cells.
- All the activities of the cell depend mainly on the activities of the subcellular structures that lie within the cell. These subcellular structures comprise of the plasma membrane, organelles and if present, the nucleus.
What are Cells?
Here is the revised introduction to cell. In all the living beings, cells are the basic structural units. We can compare the presence of cells in our body to the bricks in a building. All the bricks are assembled to make a building. Similarly, all the cells are assembled to make the body of an organism.
Thus, it is the basic structural and functional unit of life and all the organisms are made up of cells. The subcellular structures of the cell comprise of the plasma membrane, organelles and in some cases a nucleus as well. As for the size of the cell, it is variable and maybe anything from 1 to 100 micrometre.
How Are Cells Produced?
Every cell is produced by the division of a cell that is already existing in our body. This is possible because of the genetic material contained in the cell. The genetic material is passed down from one cell to another during the reproduction process. Unlike the non-living bricks, the cells of the living organisms are rather complex living structures. Therefore, the cells can divide the genetic material and form two new cells.
Types of Cell
Broadly, there are two key types of cells i.e. the Prokaryotic Cell and the Eukaryotic Cell. The difference between the two is defined mainly by the presence or the absence of the nuclear membrane. Let’s know more about the two types of cells.
1) Prokaryotic Cell
If a cell has a nuclear material without a nuclear membrane, then it is known as the prokaryotic cell. Those organisms which have these type of cells are commonly known as the prokaryotes where ‘pro’ stands for primitive and ‘karyon’ stands for the nucleus. Some of the organisms that have prokaryotic cells include bacteria and the blue-green algae.
2) Eukaryotic Cell
If a cell has a nuclear material with a nuclear membrane, then it is known as the Eukaryotic Cell . Those organisms which have these type of cells are commonly known as eukaryotes where ‘eu’ stands for true and ‘karyon’ stands for the nucleus. All the living organisms except bacteria and blue-green algae have Eukaryotic Cells.
Question For You
Q: Why is cell the fundamental unit of life?
Ans: A cell is capable of independent existence and can carry out all the functions which are necessary for the existence of the living being. Some of the functions that are performed by the cell include nutrition , respiration, excretion, transportation and reproduction.
These functions are very similar to the functions of the individual organism. Even the unicellular organisms are capable of independent existence. This proves the capability of the cell to exist independently. Therefore, a cell is the structural and fundamental unit of life.
Customize your course in 30 seconds
Which class are you in.
Cell - Structure and Function
2 responses to “introduction to cell”.
tell something more about the discovery of the microscope
May I know the name of this article writer name and the date of publishing this article ?
Leave a Reply Cancel reply
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Download the App
Prepare learners for tomorrow through curiosity, engagement, and real-world experiences.
Page Not Found
This page is not available at this time.
Help Center
Link your TV provider to unlock thousands of episodes from the Discovery family of networks.
Network availability may vary with your TV package.
Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
For california, colorado, connecticut, virginia and utah residents only, allow sale, sharing or use of my personal information for targeted advertising.
If you switch this toggle to “no,” we will not sell or share your personal information with third parties for advertising targeted to this browser/device. Please see our Opt-Out Form for additional preferences.
Global Privacy Control (GPC)
When a GPC signal is not detected, we sell and share your personal information unless you toggle "no" above.
Cookie List
- Timely Resources
- Innovative Teaching Ideas
- Leadership in Action
- Classroom Voices
- Education Trends
DE How To: Assign & Build Student Activities
So, you’ve found the perfect piece of content for your next lesson—now what?
Never fear, DE is here! Our new interactive tools help you engage students with our content by using it in creative ways with your daily lessons and assignments. Once you find a resource, be it activity, text, or interactive, you can assign it directly to students and even add context and instructions to guide them along. And students can access everything you assign right from their My DE homepage.
But if you’ve just found a compelling video to use, you’ll find even more options with the Build an Activity button . We’ve redesigned our Video Player to make it super easy to incorporate rich media into the learning experiences you design and deliver every day. From the new Video Player page, you can:
Create a Video Quiz
Create a Video Quiz by adding questions throughout the video. This is the perfect way to keep students actively engaged and check for understanding along the way, and track progress in real time. Launch Video Quizzes live or assign to students directly to complete at any time in the assignment window.
Learn more about how DE can serve as your daily learning platform. Check out our live and on-demand events or explore 30 Ways to DE!
Assign a self-paced student activity.
You can also assign a self-paced student activity in the form of a . Start with the video, then add context, instructions, or a short-answer question. Assign the single slide to students from here or add more slides, resources, and context to build out your lesson.
No matter which engaging option you choose, students can easily find and access the assignment on their DE homepage, and you can check the Assignment Manager found in Classrooms for their results. You can also change due dates or unassign from here as well.
And don’t forget, every resource in Discovery Education is made for sharing! Use a unique URL to share via your learning management system (LMS), email, or other online location. Since our platform plays well with other popular edtech tools, you can easily share resources to Google Classroom and Microsoft Teams or embed them in assignments in Schoology, Canvas, Brightspace, or Infinite Campus.
We can’t wait to see the amazing lessons you continue creating with these new tools and remember to come back here for more tips and tricks from Discovery Education.
Related Posts
Strategies for Encouraging Girls to Explore STEAM
Sparking Student Interest in Space
A Slam-Dunk Lesson Using NBA and WNBA Resources
Why Interactives are Trending in Classrooms
The Discovery Education blog is a free resource for educators to find time-saving teaching strategies and compelling content for their daily lessons.
Full of timely tips, high-quality DE resources, and advice from our DEN community, these posts are meant to entertain and inform our users while supporting educators everywhere with new ways to engage their students in and out of the classroom.
Stay Connected
Copyright © 2024 Discovery Education. All rights reserved. TERMS OF USE PRIVACY POLICY CONTACT US COOKIE SETTINGS
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
About this Full Video. It's been more than 350 years since the microscope was invented, but scientists still use it to see the world at a different scale. Take a larger-than-life look at human and plant cells, and watch these tiny building blocks of life in action. Observe how the body repairs damaged cells after an encounter with boiling ...
Biology - why cells are important?
About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright ...
The Assignment Discovery: Cells video is a great introduction to cells. This fill in the blank worksheet along with answer key will introduce cell history, cell structure and function as well as differentiation.
Introduction to the cell. Cells are the most basic unit of life. All cells have a membrane that separates them from the outside world. Although cells are small, they are not simple. Cells contain different components, such as the cytoplasm, ribosomes, and genetic information in the form of DNA. Created by Sal Khan.
8 months ago. what you actually need to learn from this video: 1. Robert Hooke coined the term cell. He was inspired by monks rooms, which were called cells. 2. the modern cell theory is composed of three facts: a)all life is composed of one or more cells, b)a cell is a basic unit of life, and, c)all cells come from other cells.
Video - Assignment Discovery: Cells 1. What shape are the skin cells that are viewed under the microscope?_____ 2. What does the pink liquid that the cells are placed in do for the cells? 3. How many years ago was the microscope invented?_____ 4. What was Robert Hooke looking at under the microscope?_____ ...
Ans: A cell is capable of independent existence and can carry out all the functions which are necessary for the existence of the living being. Some of the functions that are performed by the cell include nutrition, respiration, excretion, transportation and reproduction. These functions are very similar to the functions of the individual organism.
Introduces the concept that living things are made up of cells, and that cells are the fundamental unit of all life. View Citations Prepare learners for tomorrow through curiosity, engagement, and real-world experiences.
This video is for educational purposes only.| Discussions about:-overview of the cell discovery -who discovered cells, and -how were the cells discovered.Som...
Unite with the flowers, fungi, and bacteria around you. We are all made up of cells living in the world. Some cells work alone, while others work in groups; some cells have walls, while others do not. But the core of life is the cell, and the heart of the cell is its DNA. These basic features of life are universal and bind all organisms on this planet into one family tree.
An introduction to cells video2. A Bill Nye clip3. A video of Redi's experimentStudents watch each video and answer the corresponding comprehension and critical thinking questions, as well as review the three parts of cell theory and connect them to the videos they are watching.Students can complete this assignment virtually as it features text ...
It's been more than 350 years since the microscope was invented, but scientists still use it to see the world at a different scale. Take a larger-than-life look at human and plant cells, and watch these tiny building blocks of life in action. Observe how the body repairs damaged cells after an encounter with boiling water.
Watch short videos on Discovery that explain the fascinating science of the cell, the basic unit of life. Learn how cells function, communicate, and evolve.
You can also assign a self-paced student activity in the form of a . Start with the video, then add context, instructions, or a short-answer question. Assign the single slide to students from here or add more slides, resources, and context to build out your lesson. No matter which engaging option you choose, students can easily find and access ...
Share your videos with friends, family, and the world
View Assignment Discovery cell video study guide.doc from BIO BOTANY at Valley High, Sacramento. Assignment Discovery: Cells Video Study Guide (You Tube) 1. Skin is made of building blocks called
This works like a lock and key mechanism. The spike is the 'key', the cell surface proteins are the 'lock'. Cell machinery is forced to produce around 10,000 viruses! Each can infect another cell. 10. What are the first symptoms of the seasonal flu. Sore throat, headache, tired and weak, achy, chills and fever.
About this Full Video. The Earth would be a very different place today if we had no moon. Explore what our world would be like without a moon while learning about the creatures that might have inhabited Earth Mark 1. Examine the possibility of the presence of water on the moon, which may lead to space colonization. View Citations.
About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright ...
About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright ...
About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright ...
Teacher: Maritza Yovana Gomez Donayre