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The basic unit of structure and function in living things.


An instrument that makes small objects look larger.

Compound Microscope

A light microscope that has more than one lens.

Cell Theory

A widely accepted explanation of the relationship between cells and living things.


The ability to make things look larger than they are.

Convex Lens

A curved lens in which the center is thicker than the edges.


The ability to clearly distinguish the individual parts of an object.


A tiny cell structure that carries out a specific function within the cell.

Cell Wall

A rigid layer of nonliving material that surrounds the cells of plants and some other organisms.

Cell Membrane

A cell structure that controls which substances can enter or leave cells.


A cell structure that contains nucleic acids, the chemical instructions that direct all the cell's activities.


Material in cells that contains DNA and carries genetic information.


The region between the cell membrane and the nucleus; in organisms without a nucleus, the region located inside the cell membrane.


Rod-shaped cell structures that produce most of the energy needed to carry out the cell's functions.




A small grain like structure in the cytoplasm of a cell where proteins are made an organelle in the cytoplasm of a living cell.

Golgi Body

A structure in a cell that receives proteins and other newly formed materials from the endoplasmic reticulum, packages them, and distributes them to other parts of the cell.


A structure in cells of plants and some other organisms that captures energy from sunlight and uses it produce food.


A water-filled sac inside a cell that acts as strong s a storage area.


A small round cell structure that contains chemicals that break down large food particles into smaller ones.

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