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6 April, 2016 - 17:26

Organisms are highly organized structures that consist of one or more cells. Even very simple, single- celled organisms are remarkably complex. Inside each cell, atoms make up molecules. These in turn make up cell components or organelles. Multicellular organisms, which may consist of millions of individual cells, have an advantage over single-celled organisms in that their cells can be specialized to perform specific functions, and even sacrificed in certain situations for the good of the organism as a whole. How these specialized cells come together to form organs such as the heart, lung, or skin in organisms like the toad shown in Figure 1.2 will be discussed later.

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Figure 1.2  
A toad represents a highly organized structure consisting of cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems.