What cell is this?
This parody (written by Greg Crowther) is sung to the tune of
"What Child Is This" (words by William Dix; traditional English melody).
This is a musical introduction to differences between
prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, written and performed for University of Puget Sound
students in Biology 212 in the spring of 2003.
What cell is this in the microscope?
What form of life have I noticed?
Perhaps a plant or animal,
Bacterium, fungus, or protist.
But look, look at the chromosome!
Within the cell, there's one alone.
And no, no organelles in sight --
It must be prokaryotic!
What cell is this in which I see
The ribosomes a-floating?
All forms of life depend upon
These tiny makers of protein.
But look, look -- there's a nucleus,
Surrounded by an outer crust!
Yes, yes, there are organelles --
It must be eukaryotic!