Welcome to Cell City!
Shrink down smaller than a speck of dust. Inside you are trillions of tiny, busy cities that never sleep. Let's go visit one.
What is a cell?
A cell is the tiniest living building block there is. Think of LEGO: you can't build a giant castle without lots of little bricks. Cells are the bricks that build you. Your body has about 30 trillion of them!
Every living thing is made of cells. Some, like bacteria, are just one cell. People, dogs, and trees are made of trillions. Different cells have different jobs.
Which cell do you want to learn about? There are four groups and 334 cells. New here? Start with animal cells!
Animal cells 47 cells
The cells that build every animal: sponges, worms, insects, fish, and you! Start with Animal cells to learn the parts inside almost every cell, then meet animal cells with amazing jobs.
Start here, plus more amazing animal cells
Sponge cells
Jellyfish, corals, and comb jellies
Worm cells
Insects and spiders
Color and light cells
Fish and sea senses
Human cells 226 cells
The cells inside your body, sorted by where they work. People are animals too, so these are special kinds of animal cells.
Blood and defenders
Brain and nerves
Eyes, ears, nose, and tongue
Muscles and heart
Skin, hair, and nails
Bones, teeth, and body support
Belly and food
Lungs and airways
Kidneys and bladder
Hormone makers
Glands: tears, spit, sweat, and more
Making a baby
Linings and protectors
See them all on one page in the Cell Atlas →Every human cell with its job, a fun fact, and a video.Plant cells 60 cells
The cells that build trees, flowers, and grass. Start with Plant cells, then see how plants eat, drink, breathe, grow, and make seeds.
Leaves and plant skin
Storage and air cells
Strong stems and bark
Water and sugar pipes
Growing cells
Root cells
Makers of sap, resin, and nectar
Flowers, pollen, and seeds
One-cell living things 1 cells
Some living things are just ONE cell! Bacteria live almost everywhere, even inside you.
Games, badges, and more
Ace a quiz or win a game to earn badges!
Watch and learn
The Cell: an intro for kids
By Sanger Academy. How big cells are and what is inside them.
Watch on YouTube →Build a body, cell by cell!
Every living thing is built from cells. Pick what you want to build, then add its cells. Each part lights up when you add the cells that belong to it. Can you add them all?