A Tour of the Cell

Remember read ahead or read sections covered in class.  This helps with your understanding of the chapter.

To understand how life works - whether in bacteria or in your own body- you need to learn about cells.  Cells are the smallest entities that can show the characteristics of life.  Some living things are single cellular, some are multi-cellular. Below are two examples of single cellular organisms.

Bacterium

 

An Ameoba 

The microscope played a significant role in realization that living things were made up of cells. This realization lead to the Cell Theory: 1) All living things are made of one or more cells, 2) Cells come from pre-existing cells,  3) Nothing less than a cell can show the properties of life.  ( Ha! Ha! where did the first cell come from?  : |



The Light Microscope

Click on the links How Do Electron Microscopes Work?