The Illustrated Book of Medicine: Me, My Cells, and I

Did you ever build anything using legos and building blocks? If yes, you must have used blocks of different sizes and colors to create a complete structure. That’s exactly what a cell is – the fundamental building blocks of life that give shape and structure to every living organism.

All living things are made of one or more cells. Organisms with one cell are called unicellular, for instance, yeast. But you are a multicellular organism made of more than 30 trillion cells!



In fact, you were once just a single cell in your mother’s womb. Eventually, that one cell is divided and multiplied repeatedly to form your kidney, heart, liver, brain, nerves, and more. Each cell type is specialized for its specific role and they cooperate within themselves to keep the body functioning.

This book takes you on a tour of the cells in detail:

Blood Cells: Donut-shaped cells carry oxygen throughout the body and fight infections. Types of blood cells: Red Blood Cells, White Blood Cells, and Platelets.

Intestinal Cells: Forms the tube-like structure of the digestive system where food and drinks are digested and absorbed.

Nerve Cells: Tree-like cells send and receive signals to the brain and spinal cord to tell you how to react in different scenarios.

Smooth muscle cells: Spindle-shaped cells that form the inner lining of the hollow organs like lungs, bladder, and arteries to help them contract and relax.

Skeletal muscle cells: Long and cylindrical cells that help your body move, makes your muscles strong, and maintains your body posture.

Skin cells: Protects the internal organs from damage, creates a barrier against germs, prevents dehydration, stores fat, and produces hormones.

Bone cells: Bones are not just a white stick-like structure; they have active roles. They break and form anew to make your bones stronger with their storage of minerals.

and others..

All those tiny cells in your body are doing their own specialized job.