Cells breathe, fuel chemical reactions, communicate with one another, and reproduce. The study of these minute factories in plants and animals has unraveled many mysteries of how organisms function and has provided a basis for the development of therapies to treat debilitating human diseases. This dynamic volume explains the structure, evolution, and intricacies of this versatile unit of life. Students will learn about the difference between prokaryotes and eukaryotes, the organelles that support a cell’s functions, and the history of cell research from its discovery to current debates about the use of stem cells.