Question: what is a cell mutation

Mario Ruiz answered on 18 Jun 2013:

A cell mutation is any change in its genetic information (the DNA) that causes an alteration in the cell. For example, a part of the DNA says how to produce mitochondria, which are the ‘lungs’ of the cell. If radiation or a toxic substance makes a change in that bit of the DNA (it produces a mutation), then the cell won’t have mitochondria (and probably will die). But not all mutations are damaging! In fact, we have evolved from our ancestors thanks to beneficial mutations (for example, adapting our head to the size of our brain).