What is the Difference Between Cell and Tissue
Key Difference: Cells are the smallest unit of life that forms the basis of an organism. Tissues are groups of like-minded cells that work together.
Both cells and tissues are structurally imported into an organism. Without each, the body will not be able to function. Cells are the smallest unit of life and are microscopic in nature, meaning they cannot be seen with the naked eye. Tissues are groups of similar cells, working toward a single goal. Cells were discovered in 1665 by Robert Hooke and are named after the small “cells” (rooms) of a monastery.
Cells are the smallest objects in the body. All creatures come from a single cell, a single fertilized egg, which then continues to divide and develop until the organism is ready to enter the world. Each human being contains about 10 trillion cells. In 1839, Matthias Jakob Schleiden and Theodor Schwann developed the cell theory, which stated that all organisms are made of one or more cells.
The theory assumed that all cells come from pre-existing cells and that the vital functions of an organism occur within cells. The theory also established that all cells contain the hereditary information necessary to regulate cellular functions and to pass on information to the next generation of cells. There are two types of cells, prokaryotic cells and eukaryotic cells. Prokaryotic cells are self-sufficient by nature, like bacteria and archaea.
On the other hand, the cells of all multicellular beings are eukaryotic cells. Cells typically contain organelles like mitochondria, Golgi bodies, lysosomes, ribosomes, nuclei, etc. Each of these organelles performs a different function in the cell. For example, a nucleus contains all the genetic information of the cell or animal and regulates all the activities within a cell, while the mitochondria are responsible for carrying out the metabolic activities. A group of cells that are like-minded, that is, they perform the same function, come together to form tissues.
The cells are not exactly identical, but they have the same origin. The plasma connects these cells to each other, to give shape to the tissue. A non-living matrix called the extracellular matrix (ECM) intertwines and separates cells within a tissue. Similar tissues are grouped together to form organs. These organs then carry out the important functions of the body.
Cells and tissues are very important in the body. Every function of the body is executed through cells. One can understand the importance, when one realizes that even a slight alteration of a particular cell can result in an irreversible mutation or cancer.