Basic cell biology, such as how cells grow and divide, is important in the understanding of genetics. The journey begins with two basic groups of organism (life form) – eukaryotes and prokaryotes.
Eukaryotic and Prokaryotic Cells
Eukaryotic cells have nuclei, functioning structures (organelles) that safely house the cell’s genetic material. These organelles are in a fluid called cytosol, surrounded by a plasma membrane that allows nourishment to enter. Humans are eukaryotes, alongside other animals, plants, fungi and protists.
Other important organelles in eukaryotic cells include:
- Mitochondria – these organelles supply the cell energy, sourced from the body’s intake of food.
- Chloroplasts – in plants, these organelles process energy from sunlight into sugars that feed the cell.
Prokaryotic cells, on the other hand, do not have nuclei. They do contain a little genetic material, which floats in the cell’s cytosol, protected only by a cell wall. These cells also have a plasma membrane. Prokaryotes are the planet’s most common life forms (bacteria and archaea are examples).
