Get your Cell Structure and Function paper right the first time: a ready-made structure with the right abstract and citations, so editors see your science, not formatting slips.
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Authored by Sumalatha Gangadhar | Published on 3 August, 2026
Submitting to Cell Structure and Function goes smoothly when your draft already matches the journal's own rules. Editors screen new manuscripts against the Cell Structure and Function guide for authors before peer review, so formatting, structure, and required statements should be right on the first draft rather than repaired during upload. This template sets that structure up for you.
It is a manuscript shell aligned to Cell Structure and Function. It covers front matter, the abstract the journal expects, a body organized to the journal's article types, and a reference list in the journal's required style. Confirm current scope and article types on the Cell Structure and Function journal page before you draft.
Prepare the title, authors, affiliations, and ORCID iDs. Write the abstract to the journal's rule and word limit, organize the body to the article type, and apply the required reference style from the first citation. Complete every declaration (ethics, competing interests, funding, data availability) the Cell Structure and Function guide for authors lists, and cite figures and tables in order.
The common failure modes are formatting or reference style that does not match the guide for authors, missing required statements, and an incomplete portal checklist. Clear all three against the Cell Structure and Function guide for authors before you submit.
The shell mirrors what editorial staff check first: article-type fit, the abstract rules, required declarations, and the journal's reference style. For more detail see the author resources. When your draft is ready, upload it through ScholarOne (Manuscript Central).
| Element | Cell Struct Funct requirement |
|---|---|
| Abstract | Unstructured abstract required for all article types. Must not exceed 250 words. Should clearly express the basic content of the paper in a single paragraph and include: the problem addressed, experimental approach, main results and findings, and conclusions. Specific abbreviations should be avoided |
| Main text | Research Articles: Main text (excluding references, tables, and figure legends) should not exceed 6000 words. Reviews: 5000-6000 words. Mini-reviews: 2000 words. Technical Notes: no specific limit stated. Perspectives: generally 1000-2000 words |
| Declarations | Ethics approval/consent as applicable; competing interests; funding; data availability |
| Figures/tables | Publication-ready; cited in order |
| Supplemental | Upload separately when used |
| Keywords | A maximum of five keywords should be provided. No specific requirements mentioned for MeSH terms or other controlled vocabularies |
| References | Harvard style (author-date format). References cited in text by surname and year within parentheses, e.g. (Tuma et al., 1999; Hurd and Saxton, 1998). Upon first submission, authors may use any referencing style as long as it is clear and consistent, but the references section must be updated to Harvard style upon acceptance |
| Peer review | Single-blind peer review (also referred to as single-anonymized peer review). Reviewers' identities are kept confidential, but reviewers know the authors' identities and affiliations |
| Submission | mc.manuscriptcentral.com/csf |
Read the Cell Structure and Function guide for authors once before drafting and once before upload. Draft the abstract after results are stable. Set the reference style before adding citations. Keep a cover letter that states your contribution and fit to Cell Structure and Function in under a page.
Skim two or three recent Cell Struct Funct papers to calibrate depth and figure style. Make the novelty clear in the first two pages. Deposit data and code when the policy on the Cell Structure and Function journal page requires it. Disclose any preprint or conference version with identifiers in the cover letter.
Do one focused pass against the Cell Structure and Function guide for authors: scope, length, reference style, required declarations, and figure quality. Then submit through ScholarOne (Manuscript Central).