BOTN 6212                            Cell Biology                             Cr.H : 2+1=3

Cell biology deals with the study of ultrastructure of cell organelles and their function; cell is the fundamental unit of structure and function covering all diversity of life from a unicellular microorganism to complex huge multicellular plants and animals. Cell study provides a detailed insight how do new cells arise from pre-existing cells in somatic and reproductive cells, disorder in cell division may lead to serious disorders like cancer. Functional aspects of cell biology include processes like photosynthesis, respiration, transcription and translation.

Furthermore cell biology research is interlinked with genetics, molecular genetics, biochemistry, molecular biology, medical science, immunology, and cytochemistry. Cells biology serves a major tool in understanding that how life created and how does it work.

• This course will include following contents
• Introduction of prokaryotes and eukaryote cell.
• Brief description of ultra-structure and functions of plant cell organelles
• Endomembranous  systems, .
• Cell cycle and cell division; meiosis in sexual reproduction in plants.
• Cellular metabolism and enzymes
• Cellular respiration and photosynthesis.
• Biological information flow; transcription and translation.
• Informational molecules; carbohydrates proteins and nucleic acids
• .Cytoskeleton in cell cycle and mitosis.
• Extra cellular matrix; various types of extra cellular matrix proteins; elastic fibronectin, glycoprotein, collagen, dynein and motor proteins.
• Vesicular trafficking, cell migration, cell adhesion, cancer growth factors, disorders in cell cycle, apoptosis and gap junction

Aims and Objectives:

• To understand the structure and function of prokaryotic cell and eukaryotic cell at the level of tissue, cell, organelles and molecules like carbohydrates, proteins, nucleic acids etc.
• To develop conceptual understanding of cellular functions like photosynthesis, respiration, transcription and translation.
• To discuss structure, function,  classification  and kinetics of enzymes
• To know about the cell cycle and its regulation and disorder leading to various diseases like cancer.
• To know about communication in cells, and role of various types of cell proteins such as myosin, actin, dynein collagen etc.

Learning outcomes:

At the end of course students will able to understand

• Cell architecture, structure and function of cell organelles and biological molecules
• Cell metabolism, how do cells manage to generate chemical energy from light energy and

utilize this energy for various purposes.

• Cell cycle, its regulation and importance, risks associated with disorder in cell cycle. 
• Enzymes and their kinetics, how do enzymes control metabolic reactions by lowering activation energy 
• Communication between cells via plasmodesmata and cell junctions and structure and function of motor proteins.

Assessment criteria:

Sessional (Attendance, assignment & presentation) 15 Marks

Practical Exam      25 Marks

Mid Term Exam    15 Marks

Final Term Marks  45 Marks

Recommended Books:

1. Karp, J. Cell and Molecular Biology, Concepts and experiments, 2005.Jhon Wiley And Sons, Inc.
2. Geoffrey M.C., Robert E.H. The Cell: A Molecular Approach, 2007. Sinauer Associates, Inc.
3. Bruce Albert et al. 2009. Essential cell biology. Garland Sciences Publishers
4. Lodish. H. 2001. Molecular Cell Biology. W. H. Freeman