Expert: Walter Hintz - 8/27/2007

Question
Hello.
 I was wondering if you can answer this question for me.
A friend of mine insists that a single cell from a multicellular organism, would be a (single celled) organism in itself, as well as  biologically classified a member of the species to which the multicellular organism belongs.
Is she right?

Answer
 Hi Judy
Tecbnically the first part is correct since one definition of an organism is a living thing which a cell is. Classifying a cell from a multicellular organism however as a member of the species does not make much sense. It would be a stretch to call a skin cell taken from you or   a member of the Homo sapiens. Even though the cell would have the genome necessary to clone a human being.