Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Cell Lines01:16

Cell Lines

A cell line is a population of cells grown in vitro that can be subcultured over several generations. Normal cells cease to divide after a certain number of cell divisions, a process known as replicative senescence. This number, called the Hayflick limit, was conceptualized by Leonard Hayflick in 1961 when he observed that fetal cells grown in culture could only divide 40-60 times. This limit is due to the shortening of the telomeres during each round of cell division, preventing cell division...
What is Cancer?02:12

What is Cancer?

Cells and tissues must meticulously coordinate their activities for the normal functioning of the human body. Therefore, they exhibit socially responsible behavior - resting, growing, dividing, differentiating, or dying - for the organism’s benefit. Cancer arises when cells divide uncontrollably and invade other tissues or organs.
Although people have known about cancer for centuries, it was only in 1761 that Giovanni Morgagni of Padua performed a detailed autopsy of patients who died from...
What are Cells?01:07

What are Cells?

Cells are the smallest and basic units of life, whether it is a single cell that forms the entire organism, e.g., in a bacterium or trillions of them, e.g., in humans. No matter what organism a cell is a part of, they share specific characteristics.Basic Characteristics of CellsA living cell has a plasma membrane, a bilayer of lipids that separates the aqueous solution inside the cell called the cytoplasm from the outside environment.Furthermore, a living cell possesses genetic information...
What are Cells?01:15

What are Cells?

Cells are the smallest and basic units of life, whether it is a single cell that forms the entire organism, e.g., in a bacterium, or trillions of them, e.g., in humans. No matter what organism a cell is a part of, they share specific characteristics.
Basic Characteristics of Cells
A living cell has a plasma membrane, a bilayer of lipids that separates the aqueous solution inside the cell called the cytoplasm from the outside environment.
Furthermore, a living cell possesses genetic information...
What are Cells?01:15

What are Cells?

Cells are the smallest and basic units of life, whether it is a single cell that forms the entire organism, e.g., in a bacterium, or trillions of them, e.g., in humans. No matter what organism a cell is a part of, they share specific characteristics.
Basic Characteristics of Cells
A living cell has a plasma membrane, a bilayer of lipids that separates the aqueous solution inside the cell called the cytoplasm from the outside environment.
Furthermore, a living cell possesses genetic information...
Cell Diversity01:13

Cell Diversity

The concept of a cell started with microscopic observations of dead cork tissue by Robert Hooke in 1665. Hooke coined the term "cell" based on the resemblance of the small subdivisions in the cork to the rooms that monks inhabited, called cells. About ten years later, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek became the first person to observe the living and moving cells under a microscope. In the century that followed, the theory that cells represented the basic unit of life developed.
Multicellular organisms...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Hierarchy or Heterarchy of Mammalian Circadian Timekeepers?

Journal of biological rhythms·2024
Same author

Situating homeostasis in organisms: maintaining organization through time.

The Journal of physiology·2024
Same author

Minding the gap: discovering the phenomenon of chemical transmission in the nervous system.

History and philosophy of the life sciences·2023
Same author

Using neurons to maintain autonomy: Learning from C. elegans.

Bio Systems·2023
Same author

Discovering autoinhibition as a design principle for the control of biological mechanisms.

Studies in history and philosophy of science·2022
Same author

Reductionistic Explanations of Cognitive Information Processing: Bottoming Out in Neurochemistry.

Frontiers in integrative neuroscience·2022

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 8, 2026

Through the Looking Glass: Time-lapse Microscopy and Longitudinal Tracking of Single Cells to Study Anti-cancer Therapeutics
06:00

Through the Looking Glass: Time-lapse Microscopy and Longitudinal Tracking of Single Cells to Study Anti-cancer Therapeutics

Published on: May 14, 2016

The cell: locus or object of inquiry?

William Bechtel1

  • 1Department of Philosophy, Center for Chronobiology, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0119, USA. bill@mechanism.ucsd.edu

Studies in History and Philosophy of Biological and Biomedical Sciences
|October 12, 2010
PubMed
Summary

Understanding biological systems requires both breaking them down into parts and reassembling them. This research highlights the importance of viewing the eukaryotic cell as an integrated whole, not just a collection of mechanisms.

More Related Videos

Study of Endoplasmic Reticulum and Mitochondria Interactions by In Situ Proximity Ligation Assay in Fixed Cells
09:34

Study of Endoplasmic Reticulum and Mitochondria Interactions by In Situ Proximity Ligation Assay in Fixed Cells

Published on: December 10, 2016

In situ Subcellular Fractionation of Adherent and Non-adherent Mammalian Cells
09:20

In situ Subcellular Fractionation of Adherent and Non-adherent Mammalian Cells

Published on: July 23, 2010

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 8, 2026

Through the Looking Glass: Time-lapse Microscopy and Longitudinal Tracking of Single Cells to Study Anti-cancer Therapeutics
06:00

Through the Looking Glass: Time-lapse Microscopy and Longitudinal Tracking of Single Cells to Study Anti-cancer Therapeutics

Published on: May 14, 2016

Study of Endoplasmic Reticulum and Mitochondria Interactions by In Situ Proximity Ligation Assay in Fixed Cells
09:34

Study of Endoplasmic Reticulum and Mitochondria Interactions by In Situ Proximity Ligation Assay in Fixed Cells

Published on: December 10, 2016

In situ Subcellular Fractionation of Adherent and Non-adherent Mammalian Cells
09:20

In situ Subcellular Fractionation of Adherent and Non-adherent Mammalian Cells

Published on: July 23, 2010

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Systems Biology
  • Chronobiology

Background:

  • Biological research excels at deconstructing mechanisms into parts and operations.
  • Recomposing these parts to understand system-level function and environmental interactions remains a challenge.
  • The eukaryotic cell, fundamental to life, has been extensively studied through decomposition into organelles and chemical constituents.

Observation:

  • Modern cell biology often views the cell as a mere locus for mechanisms.
  • The cell is also an integrated system requiring a holistic perspective for comprehensive understanding.
  • Recent work on circadian rhythms exemplifies both decomposition and recomposition approaches.

Findings:

  • Decomposition successfully identifies intracellular operations maintaining endogenous oscillations in circadian rhythms.
  • Recomposition reveals how cells integrate into multicellular systems, functioning as cohesive units.
  • Both approaches are crucial for a complete understanding of biological complexity.

Implications:

  • A shift towards systems-level thinking is essential for advancing biological understanding.
  • Integrating decomposition and recomposition offers a more complete view of cellular and organismal functions.
  • This integrated approach is vital for fields like chronobiology and understanding complex biological phenomena.