What is the basic functional unit of all living organisms?

What is the basic functional unit of all living organisms?

• A. Cell
• B. Nucleus
• C. Tissue
• D. Organ

Answer: (A)

Life centers on the cell. It is the smallest unit that can carry out all the processes that keep an organism alive—taking in nutrients, converting energy, eliminating wastes, growing, responding to the environment, and even reproducing. Cells come with the components needed to perform these functions, and in many organisms they contain DNA that guides those activities. Some cells have a nucleus that houses genetic material, while others do not, but either way the cell itself is the basic unit that carries out life processes. Tissues and organs are higher levels of organization built from many cells, not the fundamental unit. So the cell is the smallest unit that can function independently to sustain life across all organisms.

Life centers on the cell. It is the smallest unit that can carry out all the processes that keep an organism alive—taking in nutrients, converting energy, eliminating wastes, growing, responding to the environment, and even reproducing. Cells come with the components needed to perform these functions, and in many organisms they contain DNA that guides those activities. Some cells have a nucleus that houses genetic material, while others do not, but either way the cell itself is the basic unit that carries out life processes. Tissues and organs are higher levels of organization built from many cells, not the fundamental unit. So the cell is the smallest unit that can function independently to sustain life across all organisms.