Introduction to Biotechnology- BT101

Cell biology occupies a central position in the life sciences

Cell biology will borrow from physiology, biochemistry, and molecular biology

Fundamentally there are two basic types of cells

Fundamental differences
Prokaryotic cells size small (microns) membrane bound nucleus No internal membrane No microtubules No microfilaments No intermediate filaments No Exocytosis/endocytosis No cell division Cell fission DNA complexed with only few proteins gene expression little RNA processing Ribosomes small (70S) Eukaryotic cells Large (10-50x) Yes Yes/organelles Yes Yes Yes Yes mitosis & meiosis histones Much processing Large (80S)

Our course in Microbiology will stress prokaryotic cells (including viruses)

A brief overview of prokaryotic cells

In addition, genetic structure is compact (efficiency is key), capable of rapid generation times, come in different shapes, can be motile, can live in other cells, and gave rise to some eukaryotic organelles.

Prokaryotic cells and humans

Useful tools in the laboratory Source of unique biochemical activities Important factors in human health Share many features with eukaryotic cells

Viruses, viroids and prions: cellular parasites?

Viruses - DNA or RNA core surrounded by protein Viroids - small circular RNAs, crop problem Prions - proteinaceous infective material, mad cow! Are these living organisms? Why or why not?

Prions - Mad Cow disease

A typical eukaryotic cell

Eukaryotic cellular structure is more complex due to organelles Organelles segregate functions, allows cell size to increase

Membranes define cellular and organelle boundaries How does chemistry dictate function? Why are there different lipid types? How does material get across membranes?

A quick review of the animal cell and its organelles

The cytoskeleton What are the different components and their roles? How is the cytoskeleton organized? How does it organize the cell?

The extracellular matrix helps cells work together

Vesicle trafficking and the endomembrane complex How does it occur? What are the components? How does it stay organized?

Mitochondria provide energy for the cell

Where do different reactions take place? How is chemical energy captured as gradient energy?

Glycolysis

Make sure you understand the basics of gene expression

Genetics covers this in more detail

Cell division

What is mitosis? What is meiosis? What are the primary proteins involved?