Facts about Animal Cell

Table of Contents

• An Overview
• What is an Animal Cell?

A cell is the smallest unit of a living organism, which carries out numerous important biological activities of a living organism. Therefore, it is called the structural, fundamental and functional unit of all the living species existing on the planet earth.

Every living organism is made up of either a single cell or various cells. The term cell is initially derived from the Latin word “cella” which implies a small room. The cell is the most essential and smallest unit of living beings. Robert Hooke, an English natural philosopher, was the first person who observed microscopic cells for the first time in history.

In general, an animal body comprises millions to trillions of cells, which are largely involved in several specific and specialized functions.

Animal cells are specialized and membrane-bound eukaryotic cells, which lack a cell wall, and chloroplasts and have a true membrane-bound nucleus, along with other functional cellular organelles.

Animal cells are mainly involved in the transportation of water, oxygen and other soluble substances through their cell membranes. The other specialized functions of animal cells include respiration, digestion, motility, reproduction, cell division and other metabolic processes.

Let us learn some more interesting facts about the Animal cell.

Fact – 1

Animal cells are generally smaller than plant cells. It is irregular in shape and is mainly because of the absence of the external wall, called the cell wall.

Fact – 2

A group of cells forms a tissue, which in turn forms organs and the organ system.

Fact – 3

An animal’s body generates millions of cells every day, as more than 100 to 150 million cells die for every second to a minute in the human body.

Fact – 4

An animal’s stem cells are totipotent and have the ability to convert into any required type of cell on the basis of the body’s requirements.

Fact – 5

All animal cells have the potential to repair themselves immediately and begin their functionality on their own. If unable to self-repair, they go for self-destruction.

Fact – 6

Every single cell present within the animal’s body is self-destructive, which destroys itself during infections, injury or any certain rare conditions so it doesn’t impact other cells.

Fact – 7

A single cell contains a number of functional structures called organelles.

Fact – 8

Every 24 hours, a cell cycle takes place to divide and produce a new cell.

Fact – 9

The average size of an animal cell ranges from 10 µm to 100 µm. Furthermore, the size of a cell is usually described by its diameter and not by its height or its length.

Fact – 10

Every living species is composed of either a single cell or various cells. Unicellular organisms such as Bacteria are only composed of a single cell which functions as an entire organism. Whereas, a multicellular organism is composed of various specialized cells with various functions

Fact – 11

Animal cells also are self-sufficient, i.e. all cells have their own factories, which generate all the essential requirements, which are required for the proper functioning of a cell and its cellular organelles.

Fact – 12

The telomeres, which are present at the end of each chromosome function by protecting the ends of the chromosome from damage and its abnormal fusion with other chromosomes. This telomere decides the life span of an animal.

Fact – 13

Animal cells undergo either mitosis or meiosis type of cell division to multiply their numbers.

Fact – 14

All biochemical reactions in a cell, including cell division, growth and development of a cell, and expansion are carried out by the cytoplasm. Apart from these, cytoplasm functions by providing particular shape, and mechanical support and also protecting the internal cell organelles from damage caused due to the collision of cells.

Fact – 15

Compared to all other cells in the animal’s body, the nerve cells never divide or multiply and they remain the same in their numbers, which are once formed during birth.

This article concludes the introduction to the animal cell and its amazing facts. To know more about the cell, animal cell, their types, features, functions, how they are different from the plant cell, and other related topics and important questions, keep visiting our website at BYJU’S Biology.