ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Pre-cell

Before a cell is formed, there are certain things that need to happen first. These things are called pre-cell processes.

First, there needs to be a source of substances such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus. These substances are important for building the parts of a cell.

Next, there needs to be a way to bring these substances together. This can happen through chemical reactions that create molecules like amino acids and nucleotides, which are the building blocks of proteins and DNA.

Once these building blocks are made, they can begin to come together to form more complex structures, like proteins and eventually cell membranes.

As these structures come together, the pre-cell is slowly becoming more complex, until eventually it reaches a point where it can reproduce and become a fully-functional cell.

So in summary, pre-cell processes are the steps that happen before a cell is formed, including building the necessary building blocks and bringing them together to create more complex structures.