Question: what are essenital components in a cell ?

Helen Tunbridge answered on 18 Jun 2013:

Oh well, that’s a really good question. There’s a simple answer and a complicated answer…
Simple answer:
– the cell membrane (without it, you don’t have anything to hold it all together)
– the nucleus with its genetic information, DNA (without it, the cell wouldn’t be able to make the proteins and molecules it needs to fulfill its function)
– ribosomes (this is where the proteins are made based on the code found in the DNA)
– mitochondria (this is where energy in the form of a molecule called ATP is made, without energy the cell can’t do anything)

Complicated answer:
It depends on the function of the cell! There are some cells, like red blood cells and platelets which don’t have a nucleus or any DNA at all, but they still function very well. The problem with that is that they have a very short lifespan, and can’t replicate so they just die and have to be replaced very often.