The cell: structure and functions
Every living thing is a city of cells.
Robert Hooke first saw cells in 1665, in a thin slice of cork. Here is what’s inside one, explained as a busy little city.
Inside a cell in 20 seconds
Four parts, one short video, every fact checked against the textbook.
Tap a part of the city
This is a plant cell. Tap a part, or use the buttons, to see what it does.
Nucleus
In the city: the city hall
The control centre of the cell. Its chromosomes carry genes, which pass features from parents to their young.
Plant cell or animal cell?
Both have a membrane, cytoplasm and a nucleus. Plant cells have three extras.
| Part | Plant cell | Animal cell |
|---|---|---|
| Cell membrane, cytoplasm, nucleus | Yes | Yes |
| Cell wall | Yes | No |
| Plastids (chloroplasts) | Yes | No |
| Vacuole | One large | Small ones |
Quick quiz
Four questions. Tap an answer to check it.
Run through a cell
In Cell Runner you dodge viruses, collect the parts of the cell and answer three questions at every checkpoint.
Play Cell Runner