Introduction to Cell Physiology

EFB325 Cell Physiology

Welcome to Cell Physiology

Course organization

Instructor, TAs

What are you going to learn in this course and why?

What?

Syllabus-Four sections

Section 1: Building a cell

describe cells and organelles as an overview-differences between plant cells and animal cells
describe the major classes of molecules that make up cells - their building blocks and synthesis
review of fundamentals of chemistry and thermodynamics, especially as they will relate to the biological reactions we will be discussing
discuss the properties of proteins and enzymes important for further discussion of physiology
properties of membranes and the movement of molecules across membranes

Section 2: Flow of energy

enzyme kinetics - how enzymes are regulated
biochemical pathways involved in the basic metabolism of the cell, breakdown of sugars to produce ATP and for biosynthesis
processes involved in photosynthetic production of sugars
these are the fundamental physiological pathways involved in maintaining proper cellular function

Section 3: Flow of information

discuss the biochemical properties of the informational molecules of the cell-the nucleic acids, including DNA replication during mitosis, the structure of genes
describe the process of utilizing that genetic information through transcription and translation to produce proteins
examine the processing and targeting of proteins to their appropriate location in the cell where they function
talk about the points at which all of those processes may be regulated by developmental, hormonal, or environmental signals

Section 4: Building multi-cellular tissues & organisms

bring all of the information from the first three quarters together while discussing the interactions between individual cells and tissues in multicellular organisms
this will include the functions of tissue systems, regulation of cell physiology by hormones, and the control of gene regulation to ensure proper development
finally discuss aspects of cell physiology which are disrupted in the progression of cancer

Why?

in this course, you will learn a major portion of the material covered on the GRE Biology subject exam
this is a critical prerequisite to many other advanced courses-plant, animal, insect, fungus physiology, molecular biology, immunology, embryology, complements genetics
there are many jobs in the fields encompassed by cell biology, because there is $ from federal grant agencies, non-gov't organizations, and pharmaceutical companies
understanding this material is increasingly important in our daily lives-health and human medicine, food production and safety, forensics, environmental science, biotechnology - Try to confer some awareness of the impact on our lives an understanding of cell biology can have and also to bring to light some possibilities ahead of us in terms of advancing our knowledge of biology and the environment.
this information represents many of the foundations of biology and some of the universal properties among living organisms

As background-look back to the origins of life on Earth

primordial soup, anaerobic
atmosphere with ammonia (NH₃), methane (CH₄), CO₂, H₂, high UV light, lightning
these compounds can react to make amino acids, organic acids, purines, pyrimidines, sugars; eventually polymers

First signs of life:

self-replicating molecule, RNA world
evolution of metabolic reactions
glycolysis=glucose -> lactic acid (anaerobic)
photosynthesis=capture of light energy to convert CO₂ to organic compounds; produce O₂
oxidative metabolism=use of oxygen to breakdown organics to produce ATP as the energy currency
initiation of life=ancestral procaryote (single-celled, no nucleus, DNA genome, plasma membrane and cell wall)

Universality among all organisms because they evolved from a common ancestor

from that evolved the present-day archaebacteria (prokaryotes in extreme environments), eubacteria (including cyanobacteria, which are photosynthetic), and eukaryotes
evolution of eukaryotes, including the symbiosis of an ancestral procaryote with a eucaryote to form the mitochondria; association of a cyanobacterium to form the chloroplast
evolution of plants, animals, fungi, protists

We, as scientists, focus on particular model organisms to learn everything about one species, which should apply to others, for the most part