The Song of the Cell: Suggested Resources

Mukherjee tells the story of the cell: from Antonie van Leeuwenhoek's first view through his simple microscope to Robert Hooke's investigation of cork and his coining of the term cell--from the latin word "cella" (small room)--to the beginnings of cell theory as the base for both plant and animal life to cell division and reproduction to the cellular theory of disease. The book is as much about the history of science as it is about cells, but then it switches gears and tackles how harnessing the workings of the cell can lead to medical advancements. Mukherjee reminds the reader, however, that even though the cell might be the common thread through all organisms, its greatest mysteries have yet to be unlocked.