For the growth of a cell culture, one inoculates not with one cell but with a quorum of cells.  This is most often a requirement, not just a convenience, and most of us take this for granted without question.  Here this observation is re-examined to understand why a quorum may be required to grow cells.  The importance of quorums may be widespread in the aspects of microbiology they affect.  It is very likely that quorums are connected with and have a large impact on the determination of Minimal Inhibitory Concentrations.  It is also possible that low cell density may adversely affect cell survival, however, this is an area where even less is known.  The need for a quorum might affect other aspects of microbial cell culture, cell isolation and cell preservation.  Effects also extend to mammalian cell culture.  Our recent studies explored the phenomenon of Candida glabrata cells requiring a quorum to survive.  It was shown that cells release substances at less than 10 mg/L that I denote as quorum protection molecules.  These substances are a complex mixture and are still to be fully characterized.  Without them, cells at low density in water undergo death by apoptosis.  More recent studies indicate that other yeast, including Saccharomyces cerevisiae utilise quorum protection.  A better understanding of quorum protection and the molecules involved may enable more microbes from the environment to be cultured.