Understanding the cell is the key to grasping the significant potential and technological developments of the new biology. Gene therapy, animal cloning, and stem cell therapy are possible now only because of the great advances in our knowledge of cell biology, which modern technology has allowed scientists to make. As researchers are able to understand more about individual cells, questions and theories arise about such elements as DNA, enzymes, and chromosomes. From the origins of the first cell to the diseases that attack different types of cells, this comprehensive volume tells the full story of this organism. Presented from the point of view of the cell's motivations, The Cell presents the origins and mechanisms of this element of life and the development of scientific knowledge surrounding it. This approach is especially helpful to those students who have no background in cell biology. It covers speculation on the development of the first cell and the development of single cells into the complex cells that eventually created animal bodies. For students and general readers, the book explains how the study of the cell cycle has led to the possibility of stem cell and cloning research. Biographies of scientists and researchers involved in cell research, along with a bibliography, glossary, and index are also included.