Cell Biology I

Description

The primary aim of the course is to cover the principles of cell biology at the level of the individual
cell.

The course will cover membrane structure, principles of membrane transport and the electrical
properties of membranes, intracellular compartments and protein sorting, principles of the
cytoskeleton, principles of cell signalling, the cell cycle, apoptosis and cancer. These topics will give the students a comprehensive grounding in cells as single entities. This will prepare students for an updated 3rd year cell biology course that will consider cells at a more advanced level and in their social context i.e. how they interact with other cells.

As all cells operate using the same basic machinery, experimental work on cells from “simpler”
organisms have revolutionised our understanding of human biology and disease. Studies on the control of the cell cycle in yeast, for example, have taught us much about human cancer. The use of such model organisms, which also include the wild mustard Arabidopsis, nematode worms and mice, is crucial in biological research and examples of a key process in cell biology from these organisms will be included. The genomes of these organisms have been sequenced, thus we know the molecular make up of these cells. Genetics and biochemistry can tell us how various parts function individually and a key task for cell biologists is to understand how all of these interact together to form a dynamic living entity.

Learning Outcomes
Students will:
• gain a greater appreciation of the internal workings of the cell
• appreciate the sophistication of mechanisms that have evolved to enable the workings
  of a cell, but at the same time be mindful that we still have much to discover
• become familiar with modern cell biology experimental techniques
• understand the use of “model organisms” - appreciate how experimental findings
  made on seemingly “lower organisms” such as nematodes and yeast can lead to a
  better understanding of the complexity of human biology and disease
• gain an understanding of both the theory and the practice of cell biology which will make
  them attractive to potential employers.