Basics of Cell Form and Function
- Have a basic understanding of the following techniques used by
cell
biologists:
- Light Microscopy
- Electron Microscopy
- Cell Fractionation - Using centrifugation to separate
organelles
for their study.
- What types of information can be gained from using these
techniques as
well as the limitations of each.
- Why are cells usually microscopic in size (the surface area to
volume
relationship)?
- Be familiar with the major features that distinguish eukaryotic
and prokaryotic cells.
- Be familiar with the structures and functions of the following
organelles
and cell structures:
- nucleus
- plastids (chloroplasts)
- vacuoles
- rough endoplasmic reticulum (rough ER)
- smooth endoplasmic reticulum (smooth ER)
- golgi apparatus
- transport vesicles
- mitochondria
- lysosomes
- peroxisomes
- ribosomes
- cytoplasm/cytosol
- Which of these organelles are part of the endomembrane system
of
organelles?
- What is the role of these endomembrane organelles in the
synthesis and
modification of membrane-bound secretory proteins?
- What are the components of the cell cytoskeleton (e.g.. microtubules,
intermediate filaments, microfilaments) and what some of their
general
roles in cell support and motility?
- Describe the general characteristics of the cell wall of
plants.
- Describe the structure and function of the following
intercellular
junctions: plasmodesmata, gap junctions, tight junctions,
desmosomes.
Cell Membranes
- What is the Fluid Mosaic Model of membrane structure?
- Have a basic understanding of the molecular organization of the
cell
membrane
(phospholipids, membrane proteins, membrane carbohydrates, and
cholesterol).
- What is the role of each membrane component?
- What is diffusion and what properties of molecules can
influence
the passive diffusion of molecules across membranes?
- What is osmosis?
- How do plant and animal cells respond to hypertonic,
hypotonic and
isotonic
solutions?
- What is facilitated diffusion and how is this process
different
from passive diffusion and active transport?
- What is the physiologic importance of active transport?
- What is an electrogenic pump?
- How do electrogenic pumps such as the Na+/K+ ATPase and
proton
pumps generate a membrane potential?
- Be familiar with processes such as phagocytosis, endocytosis,
exocytosis
and receptor mediated endocytosis.