Column perhaps about to slam criminal getting life in cell (10)
I believe the answer is:
protoplasm
'life in cell' is the definition.
'protoplasm' can be an answer for 'cell' (thesaurus). I'm not certain of the 'life in' bit.
'column perhaps about to slam criminal' is the wordplay.
'column perhaps' becomes 'prop' (I am not sure about this - if you are sure you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'about' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'criminal' is an anagram indicator.
'prop' placed around 'to' is 'protop'.
'slam' anagrammed gives 'lasm'.
'protop'+'lasm'='PROTOPLASM'
'getting' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for protoplasm that I've seen before include "Basis of life" , "Living part of a cell" , "lively stuff" .)