Cell Biology

Course Objectives

To make the student understand all type of cells and cellular components, and how cell works in healthy and diseased states

Learning Outcomes

Students will understand

the structures and purposes of basic components of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
how the cellular components are organized and perform specific functions.
the cellular components underlying mitotic and meiotic cell division.
the cellular communication and signal transduction takes place in cells

Course Syllabus

Module- 1 (11 Hrs)

Overview of Cells; Cell theory; Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic cells; Virus; Viroids; Mycoplasma; Prions

Assignment 1: Prions and associated diseases

Practice 1: Cell Organization and Sub Cellular Structure Studies

Practice 2: Gram’s staining technique for visualization of prokaryotic cells

Practice 3: Counting of cells using Hemocytometer

Module- 2 (10 Hrs)

Plasma Membrane: Various models of plasma membrane structure; Transport across membranes: Active and Passive transport, Facilitated Transport; Cell junctions: Tight junctions, Gap junctions, Desmosomes, Hemidesmosomes

Assignemnt 2: Understanding various models of plasma membrane structures

Assignment 3: Different type of transportation carried out in plasma membranes

Practice 4: Study of cell attachment

Practice 5: Study of cell proliferation

Module- 3 (6 Hrs)

Endomembrane System: Structure and Functions of Endoplasmic Reticulum, Golgi Apparatus, Lysosomes

Assignment 4: Understanding of Endomembrane system

Practice 6: Isolation of Endoplasmic Reticulum

Module- 4 (8 Hrs)

Mitochondria: Structure and function, Semi-autonomous nature, Endosymbiotic hypothesis, Chemi-osmotic hypothesis, Mitochondrial electron transport chain; Peroxisomes: structure and function.

Assignemnt 5: Semiautonomous nature of mitochondria

Assignment 6: Mitochondria: Endosymbiotic and chemiosmotic hypothesis

Practice 7: Isolation and microscopic study of mitochondria

Module- 5 (10 Hrs)

Cytoskeleton: Structure and Functions: Microtubules, Microfilaments and Intermediate filaments; Nucleus: Structure of Nucleus: Nuclear envelope, Nuclear pore complex, Nucleolus, Chromatin: Euchromatin and Hetrochromatin and packaging (nucleosome)

Assignment 7: Structure and function of cytoskeleton

Assignment 8: Structure and function of Euchromatin and Heterochromatin

Practice 8: Study the presence of Barr body in human female blood cells/cheek cell

Practice 9: Study of Actin Assembly

Module- 6 (10 Hrs)

Cell Division and Cell cycle: Mitosis, Meiosis; Regulation of cell cycle

Practice 10: Study various stages of mitosis using permanent slides

Practice 11: Study various stages of meiosis using permanent slides

Module- 7 (10 Hrs)

Cell Signaling: Overview of cell signaling, signaling molecules and receptors, GPCR, Second messengers, Role of second messenger (cAMP) in cell signaling, Activation of gene transcription by GPCR

Assignment 9: Role of different signaling molecules in cell signaling

Assignment 10: Different signal receptors

Practice 12: Maintenance of mammalian cell lines

Text Books:

Karp, G. (2010). Cell and Molecular Biology: Concepts and Experiments. VI John Wiley and Sons. Inc.
De Robertis, E.D.P. and De Robertis, E.M.F. (2006). Cell and Molecular Biology. VIII Edition. Lippincott Williams and Wilkins

Reference Books:

Cooper, G.M. and Hausman, R.E. (2009). The Cell: A Molecular Approach. V ASM Press and Sunderland, Washington, D.C.; Sinauer Associates, MA.
Becker, W.M., Kleinsmith, L.J., Hardin. J. and Bertoni, G. P. (2009). The World of the Cell. VII Edition. Pearson Benjamin Cummings Publishing, San
Bruce Albert, Bray Dennis, Levis Julian, Raff Martin, Roberts Keith and Watson James (2008). Molecular Biology of the Cell, V Edition, Garland publishing Inc., New York and London