Cell is the basic unit of all living organisms. It was first observed by Robert Hooke in 1665 under a microscope where he saw compartments in cork and named them 'cells'. Key parts of the cell include the cell membrane, cytoplasm, organelles, and a nucleus. Cells can be either prokaryotic with no nucleus or eukaryotic with a nucleus surrounded by a membrane. Cells come in different shapes and sizes and perform specialized functions depending on their type.