CONTENTS 
3 
4 The Fundamental Unit of Life 
6 What Are Cells? 
14 Biochemistry Adds to the Picture 
18 The Astonishing Uniformity of Life 
20 The Nucleus, Director of Protein Synthesis 
26 The Ribosomes, Protein Factories 
28 The Endoplasmic Reticulum, Protein Processor 
30 The Golgi Apparatus, Final Protein Sorter 
32 Lysosomes and Peroxisomes, the Cell’s “Digestive System” 
36 Mitochondria, Energy Converters in the Cell 
40 The Cytoskeleton, the Cell’s Physical Props 
44 The Surface Membrane, Versatile Gatekeeper 
46 Directing Traffic Across the Surface Membrane 
48 Signal Transduction, the Job of Receptor Proteins 
51 A Look Toward the Future 
52 Glossary 
