Cell polarity is defined as asymmetry in cell shape, protein distributions and cell functions. It is characteristic of single-cell organisms, including yeast and bacteria, and cells in tissues of multi-cell organisms such as epithelia in worms, flies and mammals. This diversity raises several questions: do different cell types use different mechanisms to generate polarity, how is polarity signalled, how do cells react to that signal, and how is structural polarity translated into specialized functions? Analysis of evolutionarily diverse cell types reveals that cell-surface landmarks adapt core pathways for cytoskeleton assembly and protein transport to generate cell polarity.