Journal Requirements/Cell

Cell Figure Requirements

Cell is the flagship journal of Cell Press. Figures must follow the Cell Press figure guidelines, with specific requirements for dimensions, resolution, and file formats.

Resolution
300 DPI
Color Mode
RGB preferred
Formats
TIFF, EPS, PDF, JPEG, PNG

Figure Dimensions

LayoutWidthHeight
Single Column85 mm200 mm
Double Column174 mm200 mm

Cell single column: 85 mm (3.35 in); double column: 174 mm (6.85 in).

Resolution & Color

Resolution

Minimum: 300 DPI

Recommended: 300 DPI

300 DPI minimum for all images. Vector preferred for line art and graphs.

Color Mode

RGB preferred

Cell Press journals primarily use RGB. CMYK is not required unless specified for print-only supplements.

Accepted File Formats

TIFFEPSPDFJPEGPNG

Maximum file size: 20 MB per figure

Submission Checklist

  • 1300 DPI minimum for all raster images
  • 2Single column: 85 mm; double column: 174 mm
  • 3Use RGB color mode
  • 4Submit in TIFF, EPS, PDF, or high-quality PNG
  • 5Embed fonts in vector files
  • 6Use Arial or Helvetica for figure text
  • 7Label panels with uppercase letters (A, B, C)
  • 8Include scale bars on all microscopy images
  • 9Provide figure legends as separate text
  • 10Ensure all text is ≥6 pt at final size
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Common Mistakes

✗Submitting at 72 DPI
✗Using CMYK instead of RGB
✗Text smaller than 6 pt
✗Forgetting to embed fonts in vector files
✗Using serif fonts instead of sans-serif
✗Inconsistent panel label styles
✗Missing scale bars
✗Excessive JPEG compression causing artifacts

Frequently Asked Questions

What color mode does Cell require?

Cell uses RGB color mode. CMYK is not required unless specified for print-only supplements. RGB provides the widest color gamut for digital publication.

What font should I use for Cell figures?

Cell Press journals prefer Arial or Helvetica. Use sans-serif fonts throughout. Avoid serif fonts for figure text.

What is the maximum file size for Cell figures?

Cell allows up to 20 MB per figure file, which is larger than many journals (Nature/Science limit is 10 MB).

Official Guidelines

Always verify requirements on the journal's official author guidelines page before submission. Journal policies may change.

Cell official author guidelines

Related Pages

Export at 300 DPITemplatesAI Publication Figure BuilderNature Figure ChecklistCell Figure Checklist

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