The combining form cyt/o refers to which basic unit of life?

• A. Tissue
• B. Nucleus
• C. Organ
• D. Cell

Answer: (D)

Understanding medical term parts is the key here. Cyt/o means cell, the basic unit of life. Cells are the smallest units that carry out all life processes, and they come together to form tissues, which in turn build organs and body systems. A nucleus is a structure inside a cell, not the unit described by this combining form. Tissue and organ refer to levels built from cells, so they aren’t what cyt/o denotes. That’s why cyt/o points to cell, the fundamental building block you study in cytology and related terms like cytoplasm.