unicellular
Like an amoeba
Unicellular describes organisms consisting of a single cell.
Bacteria, amoebas, and yeast are unicellular—each individual is one cell that performs all life functions.
The term contrasts with multicellular organisms like plants and animals, whose bodies contain millions or billions of specialized cells: Unicellular life dominated Earth for billions of years.
Gel surrounding the nucleus
- nucleusCentral controlling part
- ribosomeProtein synthesis site
- mitochondrionCell's energy-producing organelle
- organelleSubcellular functional unit
flagellum · cilia · vacuole · chloroplast · nucleoid · cytoskeleton · pseudopod · endoplasm
Unicellular eukaryotic life form
- parameciumCiliated slipper-shaped protozoan
- amoebaShape-shifting single-celled organism
- euglenaPlant-animal hybrid microbe
- diatomSingle-celled silica algae
yeast · plankton · phytoplankton · ciliate · flagellate · microbe · microorganism · pathogen
Light-harvesting plant pigment
- photosynthesisLight-to-sugar conversion in plants
- diatomsSingle-celled silica algae
- autotrophicProducing own food internally
- aquaticWater-inhabiting
bloom · chloroplasts · oxygenation · biofuel · marine · freshwater · eukaryotic · biomass
Nucleus-free single-celled organisms
- archaeaThird domain of life
- cyanobacteriaPhotosynthetic bacteria producing oxygen
- microbiomeBody's microbial community
- biofilmAdhesive layer of microorganisms
colony · aerobe · anaerobe · plasmid · antibiotic · pathogen · microflora · extremophile
Nuclear division producing identical cells
- phagocytosisCellular ingestion of particles
- osmosisSolvent crossing semipermeable barrier
- diffusionPassive molecular spreading
- metabolismCellular nutrient conversion
reproduction · respiration · photosynthesis · conjugation · budding · locomotion · chemotaxis · endocytosis
Instrument for viewing minute objects
- cultureCollective social practices
- slideSmooth continuous movement
- stainingApplying dye or pigment
- agarAlgae-derived gelling substance
incubation · specimen · magnification · microbiology · nanometer · inoculation · centrifuge · pipette
cytoplasm
Gel surrounding the nucleus
- nucleusCentral controlling part
- ribosomeProtein synthesis site
- mitochondrionCell's energy-producing organelle
organelle · flagellum · cilia · vacuole · chloroplast · nucleoid · cytoskeleton · pseudopod · endoplasm · ectoplasm
protozoan
Unicellular eukaryotic life form
- parameciumCiliated slipper-shaped protozoan
- amoebaShape-shifting single-celled organism
- euglenaPlant-animal hybrid microbe
diatom · yeast · plankton · phytoplankton · ciliate · flagellate · microbe · microorganism · pathogen · lactobacillus
chlorophyll
Light-harvesting plant pigment
- photosynthesisLight-to-sugar conversion in plants
- diatomsSingle-celled silica algae
- autotrophicProducing own food internally
aquatic · bloom · chloroplasts · oxygenation · biofuel · marine · freshwater · eukaryotic · biomass · kelp
bacteria
Nucleus-free single-celled organisms
- archaeaThird domain of life
- cyanobacteriaPhotosynthetic bacteria producing oxygen
- microbiomeBody's microbial community
biofilm · colony · aerobe · anaerobe · plasmid · antibiotic · pathogen · microflora · extremophile · thermophile
mitosis
Nuclear division producing identical cells
- phagocytosisCellular ingestion of particles
- osmosisSolvent crossing semipermeable barrier
- diffusionPassive molecular spreading
metabolism · reproduction · respiration · photosynthesis · conjugation · budding · locomotion · chemotaxis · endocytosis · fermentation
microscope
Instrument for viewing minute objects
agar · incubation · specimen · magnification · microbiology · nanometer · inoculation · centrifuge · pipette
- cellsmitosis, meiosis, plasma membrane, chloroplast, vacuole
- biological organizationorgan, tissue, organism, organ system, organelle
- microbiologybacteria, bacterium, microbe, microbes, microorganisms
- cell termscytoplasmic, nuclear, mitotic, eukaryotic, prokaryotic
- life formsorganisms, organism, lifeforms, animal, creatures
- cell partsnucleus, cytoplasm, mitochondria, ribosomes, ribosome