Wellness Letter will be including more references to, and explanations of, the cellular processes related to the various topics addressed in this publication. We begin with this issue and the following description of a generic human cell. The cell is the fundamental unit of life, the smallest structure in the body of which various tissues and organs are made. Although most cells are invisible, they are 3 dimensional, with varying sizes and structures depending on the tissue or organ they serve. The organelles depicted in the cell diagram on page 2 are the ones that are common to all human cells.
Some human cells have additional structures depending on what purpose they serve.
An understanding of how normal cells work facilitates the understand, of how abnormalities in cell function cause diseases like diabetes. An understanding of cellular structure and function also facilitates an understanding of how recommended treatments, including medications, achieve their intended results. A thin, non rigid structure made of protein and lipids that encloses cell contents and regulates interactions between the cell and its external environment. Nothing can enter or leave the cell without passing through this membrane. A double membrane encloses the nucleus but pores in this membrane allow various kinds of molecules to move in and out of the nucleus.