Cells

Understanding the structure and function of cells and their many parts, in health and in disease—that's cell biology. Studies in cell biology focus on questions like:

  • How do cells move, communicate, divide, and ultimately die?
  • How are cellular components made and maintained?
  • What tools do we need to study cells up close and in real time?

Follow the links below to learn more about cell biology, including recent developments, and read profiles of researchers working in this field.

Booklets

  • Inside the Cell
    Explores the interior design of cells and vividly describes the processes that take place within cellular organelles and structures.
  • The Structures of Life
    Reveals how understanding the shape of biological molecules involved in many cellular processes provides insight into health and disease.

Other​ resources

Fact Sheets

  • Studying Cells
    Trillions of cells make up our bodies, and researchers continue to learn more about their features and functions. Discover some recent advances.
  • Regeneration
    Regeneration is a natural process that allows plants and animals to replace or restore damaged or missing cells, tissues, organs, and even entire body parts to full function. Learn more about regeneration and its potential uses in medicine.
All fact sheets

Biomedical Beat Blog

  • Five Fabulous Fats
    Lipids protect your vital organs and launch chemical reactions needed for growth, immune function, and reproduction—among other critical roles. Here we recognize the importance of fats in the body, starting with five that are essential to health.
  • Roses are red and so is...blood?
    Although most people think of blood as being red, blood actually comes in a variety of colors, including red, blue, green, and purple. Learn about these rainbow of colors, which can be traced to the protein molecules that carry oxygen in the blood.
  • Interview With a Scientist—Elhanan Borenstein: Metagenomics Systems Biology
    How do the microorganisms that live in and on us (our microbiome) impact us? Can we harness them to improve human health? In a video interview, Elhanan Borenstein discusses the use of computer models to help answer these questions.
  • Molecular Fireworks: How Microtubules Form Inside Cells
    By adapting a technique called total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy, scientists have discovered the protein that allows microtubules to grow longer.
More blog posts​

Profiles: Meet a Scientist

More profiles

​Quizzes and Puzzles

All quizzes and puzzles

​​Cell Day​
  • Cell Day Page
    Cell Day is an interactive chat about the cell and careers in research for middle and high school students.
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