 A cell is like a miniature and very complex factory that can make all the parts needed to produce a copy of itself, which happens when cells divide.There is a simple division of labor in cells—genes give instructions and proteins carry out these instructions, tasks like building a new copy of a cell, or repairing the damage.Each type of protein is a specialist that only does one job, so if a cell needs to do something new, it must make a new protein to do this job.