About The Cell
When attempting gene sequencing, scientists start with the largest of the entities we have previously discussed. The cell is the largest member and contains all of the others. It is however, the smallest independently functioning unit in the structure of an organism, usually consisting of one or more nuclei surrounded by cytoplasm and enclosed by a membrane. Cells also contain organelles such as mitochondria, lysosomes and ribosomes, (according to the Dictionary-MSN Encarta). It is considered the basic unit of living thing.
Living organisms can be single celled (I'm sure we all remember the amoeba from our grade 12 biology class) or multi-celled as in a human being. It is estimated that the human body has approximately 100 trillion cells. Cells in our bodies differentiate to form cells that function differently than other cells in our bodies. Such function could be lungs, heart or the digestive track.
A cell can replicate itself by dividing in half, with both halves containing the same information the original cell had to create a new organism. (Again, remember the amoeba).
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