a story about the enthralling drama in the cellular universe may help you become interested in the cell biology. This article tells the little story of the cells that make up your body.

The cells

The word "cell" originated from the Latin word, "cellula", which literally means "a small room". It is the functional and structural unit (the smallest unit) of all living organisms, and is often times considered as the building block of life. Some living organisms are made up of a single cell, while others have one or more cells.

Most bacteria consist of one cell (unicellular), whereas humans have about 100 trillion cells (multicellular). The typical size and mass of a human cell is 10 µm and 1 nanogram. Your cells cells work very hard nonstop to keep you going.

Each cell comes from a preexisting cell. Important human functions occur within cells. In addition, each of your cells has a complete genetic DNA blueprint, or hereditary information, of "how to make you". This blueprint is also necessary for making the cellular machinery needed to run the show. The cells' DNA map transmits information to the future generation of cells.

The guests and invaders

The human body is also host to many other species. The good bacteria collaborate with your body in helping you make Vitamin K, digest your food, and get rid of the bad organisms trying to live in your body. Tiny parasitic mites (Demodex) may be thriving in the ease of your eyelashes as you read this article.

For ladies, yeast (Candida) are always there standing by, just waiting to attack. When your body's good guy microbes (natural flora) get knocked out of balance, for example when you are having antibiotic mediation, eukaryotic interlopers can quickly multiply exponentially, giving you sorts of nasty infections. The human body is like a planet where many different organisms (good and bad) live.

The immune system

Your body is made up of trillions of working cells. In addition to these working cells, a cellular police force is responsible for patrolling your body. They are the cells of your immune system. Always on the lookout for bad guys, these microscopic cops identify invaders and eliminate them. There are times when pathogens infect your cells and the only solution to get rid of infected cells is to destroy them. The T-cells do the job. These cellular assassins convince defective body cells to self-destruct (apoptosis).

Bad guy microbes (such as pathogenic viruses, eukaryotes, and prokaryotes) are everywhere, and they are hard to avoid. When you are infected, your body's cellular cops are always intervening to prevent and stop the growth of pathogens. Your skin, oil (sebum), and sweat man the external stronghold that bars pathogens from getting inside your body.

Cell biology is never boring. Looking at the microscopic drama being played out 24/7 will give you better understanding of your own body.