A fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) and at least one bipolar plate having an anode-side gas distributor structure for distributing anode reactants, a cathode-side gas distributor structure for distributing cathode reactants, and a guide passage structure for distributing a cooling medium. At least one of the anode-side gas distributor structure and the cathode-side gas distributor structure is divided into at least a first field and a second field, each of the first and second fields having an entry port and an exit port for the reactants. In addition, a method for such a fuel cell includes passing a reactant into an entry port of the first field and out of an exit port of the first field, mixing the reactant with a fresh reactant so as to form a mixture, and passing the mixture into the entry port of the second field.