Why We Study the Cell and Its Components

The research of cells has become very important in helping us discover better ways to fight diseases and discover new diseases. It enables us to understand why some are born with disabilities and what we may be able to do to avoid it. Research can also lead us to new medicines that will help fight things such as cancer; Alzheimer's and even a simple cold. I believe that by discovering the different cells certain person have we will be able to fight things more easily. For example, by studying the difference between the cells in a person with down's syndrome and those that have no symptoms we will not only understand the disability better but may someday understand how to avoid the disease.

There are two primary types of cells: eukaryotic cells and prokaryotic cells. Eukaryotic cells are called so because they have a nucleus. The nucleus, which houses DNA, is contained within a membrane and separated from other cellular structures. Prokaryotic cells however have no nucleus. DNA in a prokaryotic cell is not separated from the rest of the cell but coiled up in a region called the nucleoid. Eukaryotes include animals, plants, fungi and protists. Typically, eukaryotic cells are more complex and much larger than prokaryotic cells. On average, prokaryotic cells are about 10 times smaller in diameter than eukaryotic cells. Eukaryotes grow and reproduce through a process called mitosis. In organisms that also reproduce sexually, the reproductive cells are produced by a type of cell division called meiosis. Most prokaryotes reproduce through a process called binary fission. During binary fission, the single DNA molecule replicates and the original cell is divided into two identical daughter cells.

There are also many distinctions between eukaryotic and prokaryotic cell structure. A typical animal eukaryote cell has a cell membrane, Centrioles, many Chromosomes, complex Cilia or Flagella, Golgi, Mitochondria, a nucleus and Ribosomes. It is also common to find Lysosomes and Peroxisomes in the cell. A prokaryote cell has a Cell Membrane, Cell Wall, one long DNA strand, simple Cilia or Flagella, and Ribosomes.

It enables us to understand why some are born with disabilities and what we may be able to do to avoid it. Research can also lead us to new medicines that will help fight things such as cancer; Alzheimer's and even a simple cold. I believe that by discovering the different cells certain person have we will be able to fight things more easily. For example, by studying the difference between the cells in a person with down's syndrome and those that have no symptoms we will not only understand the disability better but may someday understand how to avoid the disease.