Cage vs. Cell — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Urooj Arif — Updated on May 10, 2024
A cage is a structure made of wire or bars designed to confine animals, while a cell is the smallest functional unit of life, found in all living organisms.
Difference Between Cage and Cell
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
A cage is typically constructed from materials like metal or wire to contain animals or objects securely, often found in zoos and homes for pets. Whereas, a cell refers to the biological unit of life, consisting of a membrane that encloses cytoplasm and various cellular structures.
Cages are engineered to prevent the escape of whatever is contained within, usually visible and tangible in their form. On the other hand, cells are microscopic and can only be seen with the aid of a microscope, playing a crucial role in the physiology of living beings.
In terms of usage, cages can also symbolize imprisonment or restraint in metaphorical contexts, such as feeling "caged" in a situation. Conversely, cells function as the basic building blocks of life, vital for biological processes and reproduction.
Maintenance of a cage involves physical cleaning and ensuring it is escape-proof. Whereas, cell maintenance happens at a molecular level, involving complex biological processes like metabolism and homeostasis.
While cages can be designed and modified by humans for various uses such as bird cages, dog crates, or even decorative elements, cells evolve through biological processes, with each type having specific functions, such as nerve cells or blood cells.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Structure made to confine animals or objects
Basic structural and functional unit of life
Visibility
Visible to the naked eye
Microscopic, requires a microscope
Material/Composition
Made of metal, wire, or bars
Consists of cell membrane, cytoplasm, etc.
Purpose/Use
Confinement or protection of animals
Essential for life processes and reproduction
Maintenance
Physical cleaning, checking integrity
Cellular processes like metabolism
Compare with Definitions
Cage
A structure of bars or wires in which birds or other animals are confined.
The parrot squawked from inside the metal cage.
Cell
A small group forming a nucleus of political activity.
The spy operated within a secretive cell.
Cage
To confine or imprison someone or something.
The activists protested against caging wild animals.
Cell
The basic structural and functional unit of living organisms.
A human body has trillions of cells.
Cage
An enclosure used to contain equipment or machinery.
A protective cage surrounds the fan blades.
Cell
A device's compartment that holds the battery.
The battery cell powers the remote control.
Cage
A skeletal framework used in construction.
A steel cage is used to reinforce the concrete.
Cell
A small room in which a prisoner is confined.
The prisoner spent twenty-four hours a day in a tiny cell.
Cage
A cage is an enclosure often made of mesh, bars, or wires, used to confine, contain or protect something or someone. A cage can serve many purposes, including keeping an animal or person in captivity, capturing an animal or person, and displaying an animal at a zoo.
Cell
To arrange or organize in cells.
The laboratory cells tissues for observation.
Cage
A structure for confining birds or animals, enclosed on at least one side by a grating of wires or bars that lets in air and light.
Cell
A narrow confining room, as in a prison or convent.
Cage
A barred room or fenced enclosure for confining prisoners.
Cell
A small enclosed cavity or space, such as a compartment in a honeycomb or within a plant ovary or an area bordered by veins in an insect's wing.
Cage
An enclosing openwork structure
Placed a protective cage over the sapling.
A bank teller's cage.
Cell
(Biology) The smallest structural unit of an organism that is capable of independent functioning, consisting of cytoplasm, usually one nucleus, and various other organelles, all surrounded by a semipermeable cell membrane.
Cage
A skeletal support, as for a building; a framework.
Cell
(Architecture) See web.
Cage
An elevator car.
Cell
The smallest organizational unit of a clandestine group or movement, such as a banned political movement or a terrorist group. A cell's leader is often the only person who knows members of the organization outside the cell.
Cage
(Baseball) A batting cage.
Cell
A single unit for electrolysis or conversion of chemical into electric energy, usually consisting of a container with electrodes and an electrolyte; a battery. Also called electrochemical cell.
Cage
(Sports) A goal, as in hockey or soccer, made of a net attached to a frame.
Cell
A single unit that converts radiant energy into electric energy
A solar cell.
Cage
To put or confine in or as if in a cage.
Cell
A fuel cell.
Cage
An enclosure made of bars, normally to hold animals.
We keep a bird in a cage.
The tigers are in a cage to protect the public.
The most dangerous prisoners are locked away in a cage.
Cell
A geographic area or zone surrounding a transmitter in a cellular telephone system.
Cage
The passenger compartment of a lift.
Cell
A cellphone.
Cage
The goal.
Cell
(Computers) A basic unit of storage in a computer memory that can hold one unit of information, such as a character or word.
Cage
An automobile.
Cell
A storm cell.
Cage
(figuratively) Something that hinders freedom.
Cell
A small humble abode, such as a hermit's cave or hut.
Cage
(athletics) The area from which competitors throw a discus or hammer.
Cell
A small religious house dependent on a larger one, such as a priory within an abbey.
Cage
An outer framework of timber, enclosing something within it.
Cell
A box or other unit on a spreadsheet or similar array at the intersection of a column and a row.
Cage
(engineering) A skeleton frame to limit the motion of a loose piece, such as a ball valve.
Cell
To store in a honeycomb.
Cage
A wirework strainer, used in connection with pumps and pipes.
Cell
To live in or share a prison cell.
Cage
(mining) The drum on which the rope is wound in a hoisting whim.
Cell
A single-room dwelling for a hermit.
Cage
(baseball) The catcher's wire mask.
Cell
A small monastery or nunnery dependent on a larger religious establishment.
Cage
(graph theory) A regular graph that has as few vertices as possible for its girth.
Cell
A small room in a monastery or nunnery accommodating one person.
Gregor Mendel must have spent a good amount of time outside of his cell.
Cage
To confine in a cage; to put into and keep in a cage.
Cell
A room in a prison or jail for one or more inmates.
The combatants spent the night in separate cells.
Cage
(figuratively) To restrict someone's movement or creativity.
Cell
Each of the small hexagonal compartments in a honeycomb.
Cage
(aviation) To immobilize an artificial horizon.
To prevent damage to its gimbal mountings during extreme aerobatic maneuvers, the navball should be caged before the start of a display sequence.
Cell
Any of various chambers in a tissue or organism having specific functions.
Cage
To track individual responses to direct mail, either (advertising) to maintain and develop mailing lists or (politics) to identify people who are not eligible to vote because they do not reside at the registered addresses.
Cell
(entomology) The discal cell of the wing of a lepidopteran insect.
Cage
A box or inclosure, wholly or partly of openwork, in wood or metal, used for confining birds or other animals.
In his cage, like parrot fine and gay.
Cell
(obsolete) Specifically, any of the supposed compartments of the brain, formerly thought to be the source of specific mental capacities, knowledge, or memories.
Cage
A place of confinement for malefactors
Stone walls do not a prison make,Nor iron bars a cage.
Cell
A section or compartment of a larger structure.
Cage
An outer framework of timber, inclosing something within it; as, the cage of a staircase.
Cell
Any small dwelling; a remote nook, a den.
Cage
A skeleton frame to limit the motion of a loose piece, as a ball valve.
Cell
A device which stores electrical power; used either singly or together in batteries; the basic unit of a battery.
This MP3 player runs on 2 AAA cells.
Cage
The box, bucket, or inclosed platform of a lift or elevator; a cagelike structure moving in a shaft.
Cell
(biology) The basic unit of a living organism, consisting of a quantity of protoplasm surrounded by a cell membrane, which is able to synthesize proteins and replicate itself.
Cage
The drum on which the rope is wound in a hoisting whim.
Cell
(meteorology) A small thunderstorm, caused by convection, that forms ahead of a storm front.
There is a powerful storm cell headed our way.
Cage
The catcher's wire mask.
Cell
(computing) The minimal unit of a cellular automaton that can change state and has an associated behavior.
The upper right cell always starts with the color green.
Cage
To confine in, or as in, a cage; to shut up or confine.
Cell
(card games) In FreeCell-type games, a space where one card can be placed.
Cage
An enclosure made or wire or metal bars in which birds or animals are kept
Cell
A small group of people forming part of a larger organization, often an outlawed one.
Those three fellows are the local cell of that organization.
Cage
Something that restricts freedom as a cage restricts movement
Cell
(communication) A short, fixed-length packet, as in asynchronous transfer mode.
Virtual Channel number 5 received 170 cells.
Cage
United States composer of avant-garde music (1912-1992)
Cell
(communication) A region of radio reception that is a part of a larger radio network.
I get good reception in my home because it is near a cell tower.
Cage
The net that is the goal in ice hockey
Cell
(geometry) A three-dimensional facet of a polytope. Category:en:Higher-dimensional geometry
Cage
A movable screen placed behind home base to catch balls during batting practice
Cell
(statistics) The unit in a statistical array (a spreadsheet, for example) where a row and a column intersect.
Cage
Confine in a cage;
The animal was caged
Cell
(architecture) The space between the ribs of a vaulted roof.
Cell
(architecture) A cella.
Cell
(entomology) An area of an insect wing bounded by veins.
Cell
A cellular phone.
Cell
(transitive) To place or enclose in a cell.
Cell
A very small and close apartment, as in a prison or in a monastery or convent; the hut of a hermit.
The heroic confessor in his cell.
Cell
A small religious house attached to a monastery or convent.
Cell
Any small cavity, or hollow place.
Cell
The space between the ribs of a vaulted roof.
Cell
A jar of vessel, or a division of a compound vessel, for holding the exciting fluid of a battery.
Cell
One of the minute elementary structures, of which the greater part of the various tissues and organs of animals and plants are composed.
Cell
To place or inclose in a cell.
Cell
Any small compartment;
The cells of a honeycomb
Cell
(biology) the basic structural and functional unit of all organisms; cells may exist as independent units of life (as in monads) or may form colonies or tissues as in higher plants and animals
Cell
A device that delivers an electric current as the result of a chemical reaction
Cell
A small unit serving as part of or as the nucleus of a larger political movement
Cell
A hand-held mobile radiotelephone for use in an area divided into small sections (cells), each with its own short-range transmitter/receiver
Cell
Small room is which a monk or nun lives
Cell
A room where a prisoner is kept
Common Curiosities
What materials are cages typically made from?
Cages are usually made from metals, wires, or bars.
Are there different types of cages?
Yes, there are various types of cages, including pet cages, bird cages, and protective cages for machinery.
Can cells be seen with the naked eye?
No, cells are microscopic and require a microscope to be seen clearly.
What is the function of a cell in biology?
Cells are the basic building blocks of all living organisms, essential for carrying out life processes.
What is the difference between a plant cell and an animal cell?
Plant cells have a cell wall and chloroplasts, whereas animal cells do not.
What are stem cells?
Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that have the potential to develop into different cell types.
How do cells reproduce?
Cells reproduce by processes like mitosis and meiosis, depending on the organism.
What is the life span of a cell?
The lifespan of cells varies widely; some may live a few days, while others, like nerve cells, can last a lifetime.
What happens if a cell's membrane is damaged?
Damage to the cell membrane can cause the cell to die, as it compromises its ability to maintain its environment.
What is a cage used for?
Cages are used to confine or secure animals, birds, or sometimes objects within a controlled space.
Why are cages important in research settings?
Cages are crucial in research for safely containing and studying animals under controlled conditions.
Are cages considered ethical for housing animals?
The ethicality of using cages for animals depends on the conditions and the purpose, which can be controversial.
Can a cage be used for purposes other than confinement?
Yes, cages can also serve decorative purposes or as part of a safety mechanism.
What advancements have been made in cellular biology?
Advances in cellular biology include developments in genetic engineering, stem cell research, and understanding cellular processes.
How are cages maintained?
Cages require regular cleaning and inspection to ensure they are secure and hygienic.
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Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
