Cell As a Basic Unit of Life

Dr. Madhuri Kaushish Lily

Associate Professor, Department of
Biotechnology & Microbiology

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 References:

Molecular Biology of the Cell By Alberts

Molecular Cell Biology By Lodish
World of the Cell by David Becker
Genes VIII by Benjamin Lewin
Developmental Biology by S.F. Gilbert
Principles of Biochemistry By Zubay
Cell Biology By Dr. Madhuri Kaushish Lily

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  M.Sc. Biotech 1st Sem. Paper I: S0LS/BT/C 001.
 Cell Biology, Developmental Biology & Biophysics
 UNIT I
 Plasma membrane: Structure, organisation, lipid bilayer, proteins & glycoconjugates, liposomes. Function- Ionic transport,
types of transport (symport, antiport, active & passive,), channel proteins. Intracellular compartmentalization. Structure,
organization and functions of Nucleus, Mitochondria, lysosome, Golgi body, Chloroplast, Peroxisome, Endoplasmic reticulum
(Rough and smooth) Cell motility and shape: Structure and functions, Microfilament, Microtubules and Intermediate filament.
 UNIT II
 Protein Sorting, Vesicular traffic in the secretory and endocytic pathway: transport from endoplasmic reticulum through the
Golgi network to lysosome, endocytosis, exocytosis, Molecular mechanisms of vesicular transport and the maintenance of
compartments diversity. Cell signaling : General principles (Types of signaling). Cell surface receptor mediated signaling (ion
channel, G protein and enzyme linked), Target cell adaptation.
 UNIT III
 Cell cycle, Molecular events and regulation. Cell division: General strategy and regulation, Molecular mechanism of mitosis
and meiosis. Cancer- Biology: Types of cancer, onset of cancer, Proto-oncogenes and tumor suppresser genes, Oncogenic
mutations affecting cell proliferation, cell cycle and genome stability. Programmed cell death, Apoptosis.
 UNIT IV
 Developmental Biology: Mechanism of fertilization, morphological and molecular aspects: acrosomal reaction, cortical
reaction, blocks to polyspermy, parthenogenesis, Cellular mechanism of development: Morphogenetic cellular movements,
classes of cell adhesion molecules, intracellular communication.
 Mechanism of cellular differentiation: Transcriptional regulation of gene expression during differentiation, transcription
factors and the activation of specific promoters, the activation of chromatin. Control of development by RNA processing.
Translational regulation of developmental processes.
 UNIT V
 Physical phenomena and processes in the living organisms. Principle of measurement. Physical units of measurement, their
systems, the SI system. Main types of thermodynamic systems. Laws of thermodynamics. Gaseous, liquid and solid state of
the matter, particle interactions as the basis of the states. Waves as a kind of mechanical motion. Characteristic quantities for
waves. Doppler effect. Applications of ultrasound in medical diagnostics. Electromagnetic waves, Physical characterization of
light. X-rays, their properties. Sources of X-radiation. Applications of X-rays to biology and medicine.
 Radioactivity and radioactive isotopes. Effect of radioactive radiations onto living organism.

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  M.Sc Microbiology I SEMESTER
 SLS/MIC/C003: CELL BIOLOGY
 Unit I: Architecture of Plasma Membrane and Solute Transport
 Plasma membrane: Composition of membrane, Fluid mosaic model, Membrane fluidity, Membrane
dynamics, Membrane fusion; Solute transport across membranes: Diffusion (Simple and facilitated),
Active transport (Primary and secondary), Pumps and transporters, Ion channels (Ligand gated and
voltage gated channels), Trans-epithelial transport, Mechanism of regulation of intracellular transport.
 Unit II: Intracellular Compartmentalization of Cell
 Structure, organization and functions of nucleus, mitochondria, chloroplast, endoplasmic reticulum, golgi
body, peroxisome, lysosome and endosomes; Cytoskeleton: Actin filaments, microtubules and
intermediate filaments; Cell motility; Integrating cell into tissue: Cell junctions, Cell- Cell adhesions,
Cell – extracellular matrix adhesion; Protein targeting; Molecular mechanism of vesicular trafficking.
 Unit III: Cell Signaling
 Basic signaling mechanisms (Paracrine, endocrine and autocrine signaling); Mechanism of signal
transduction: Signaling molecules, Ligand-receptors interaction, Transmembrane and intracellular
signaling, Cell surface receptors (G protein-coupled, enzyme-linked and ion channel-linked receptors),
Second messengers and their role in signal transduction, Signal integration, Signal amplification, Target
cell adaptation.
 Unit IV: Cell Cycle and Cell Division
 Cell cycle: Molecular events, Cyclin, CDKs, Checkpoints in cell cycle, Intracellular control of cell cycle
events, Abnormalities in cell cycle: Oncogenesis (Causes, proto-oncogenes and tumor suppresser genes,
Oncogenic mutations); Cell division: Molecular mechanism of mitosis and meiosis.
 Unit V: Cell Death Pathways
 Necrosis; Autophagy; Senescence; Apoptosis: Mechanisms of apoptosis, Signals triggering apoptosis,
Apoptosis inducing factors, Apoptosis in cancer, immune system and organ transplants.

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 Cell Biology
Cell biology (formerly called cytology, from the
Greek κυτος, kytos, "vessel") and otherwise known as
molecular biology, is a branch of biology that studies the
different structures and functions of the cell and focuses
mainly on the idea of the cell as the basic unit of life.

The cell (from Latin cella, meaning "small room”) is the

basic structural, functional, and biological unit of all
known living organisms.

 A cell is the smallest unit of life that can replicate

independently, and cells are often called the "building
blocks of life". 5
Cell biology explains the structure, organization
of the organelles they contain, their physiological
properties, metabolic processes,
signaling pathways, life cycle, and interactions
with their environment.

An organelle is a specialized subunit with in a cell that

has a specific function.
Organelles typically have their own plasma membrane
round them.
Most of the cell's organelles are in the cytoplasm.
The name organelle comes from the idea that these
structures are to cells what an organ is to the body.
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This is done both on a microscope and molecular
level as it encompasses prokaryotic
cells and eukaryotic cells.

 Knowing the components of cells and how cells

work is fundamental to all biological sciences; it is
also essential for research in bio-medical fields such
as cancer, and other diseases.

Research in cell biology is closely related

to genetics, biochemistry, molecular
biology, immunology, and developmental biology.

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Cells
Smallest living unit
Most are microscopic
Discovery of Cells
Robert Hooke (mid-1600s)
Observed sliver of cork
Saw “row of empty boxes”
Coined the term cell
 Cell theory
(1839) Theodor Schwann & Matthias Schleiden
“ all living things are made of cells”

(50 yrs. later) Rudolf Virchow

“all cells come from cells”
Principles of Cell Theory
All living things are made of cells

Smallest living unit of structure and function

of all organisms is the cell

All cells arise from preexisting cells (this

principle discarded the idea of spontaneous
generation)
Cell Size
Cells Have Large Surface Area-to-Volume Ratio
 Characteristics of All Cells
A surrounding membrane
Protoplasm – cell contents in thick fluid
Organelles – structures for cell function
Control center with DNA
 Cell Types

Prokaryotic

Eukaryotic
 Prokaryotic Cells
First cell type on earth
Cell type of Bacteria and Archaea
 Prokaryotic Cells
No membrane bound nucleus
Nucleoid = region of DNA concentration
Organelles not bound by membranes
 Eukaryotic Cells
Nucleus bound by membrane
Include fungi, protists, plant, and animal cells
Possess many organelles

Protozoan
Representative Animal Cell
Representative Plant Cell
 Organelles
Cellular machinery
Two general kinds
Derived from membranes
Bacteria-like organelles
 Bacteria-Like Organelles
Derived from symbiotic bacteria

Ancient association

Endosymbiotic theory
Evolution of modern cells from cells & symbiotic
bacteria
Plasma Membrane
Contains cell contents
Double layer of phospholipids & proteins
 Phospholipids
Polar
Hydrophilic head
Hydrophobic tail

Interacts with water

Thank You

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