What is Cell Biology?

Cell biology is the study of cells and cell organelles (structures inside cells). The field of cell biology examines everything from single-celled organisms (like bacteria) to the millions of specialized cells in multicellular organisms such as mammals and flowering plants.

The field of cell biology covers everything from the workings cells and interactions between cells to cellular activity within the single-celled and multicellular organisms they comprise. This includes:

Cells and organelles: their anatomy, physiology, and reproduction
Cell function within and between:
Cells
tissues
organs
organ systems
whole multicellular organisms

Cell biology overlaps with and is often included in every field of biology and organic chemistry which includes:

Biology
Plant biology
Animal biology
Chemistry
Biochemistry
Molecular biology
Genetics
And many more fields.

Famous Cell Biologists

Robert Hooke (1635 - 1703), in 1665 coined the term cell from his observations of plant cells, which reminded him of monks' cells or "cellula."

Camillo Golgi (1843 - 1926) was an Italian physician and scientist. In 1898, Golgi identified the intracellular reticular apparatus which bears his name, the Golgi apparatus, or Golgi body. Golgi bodies are responsible for the secretion of cell products.

At Texas A & M University, you can learn more about other famous cellular biologists.

Terms Used in this Lesson

You'll find each of these terms in your lesson. Please be sure that you're familiar with each definition before you proceed.

Anaphase
Cell Differentiation
Cell
Cell cycle
Centriole
Centromere
Chromosome
Chromatid
Chloroplasts
Cytokinesis
Daughter cell
Eukaryotes
Golgi body
Lysosome
Meiosis
Meristematic cells

Metaphase
Mitochondria
Mitosis
Monerans
Nonvascular plant
Nucleus
Nucleolus
Organelle
Photosynthesis
Phloem
Photoautotrophs
Plasmodesmata
Pluripotent
Prophase
Prokaryotes

Protists
Respiration
Ribosomes
Spindle fiber
Stem cells
Stomata
Telophase
Tissue
Totepotent
Transpiration
Vacuoles
Vascular bundles
Vascular cambium
Vascular plant
Vesicle
Xylem