Imagine you are making plans to take care of your home as you prepare to leave for a long vacation. You realize there are two things in your home that require special attention: your pets and your houseplants. These need special attention because they are alive. Have you thought closely about what distinguishes a living organism from a nonliving thing? “Biochemistry is the study of the structure, composition, and chemical reactions of substances in living systems” (American Chemical Society, n.d.). In this hands-on, At-Home Lab, you discover what all cells require for life, learn about the cell’s structure and how it functions, and pay special attention to a critical cell component, the cell membrane. Reference: American Chemical Society. (n.d.). College to careers: Biological/biochemistry.