CELL BIOLOGY syllabus, JNTU (2007-2008)

UNIT I: CELL STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION

Discovery of cells; Basic properties of cells; Cell theory; Cell complexity – Cell size & shape; Different

classes of cells; Prokaryotic & Eukaryotic cells;

UNIT II: CHEMISTRY OF THE CELL

Importance of carbon and water; Plasma membrane- structure and function; Cytoplasm ; Cytoskeleton - Microtubules, microfilaments & intermediate filaments, cell motility – cilia & flagella

UNIT III: INTRACELLULAR COMPARTMENTS

Structure and functions of Nucleus, Endoplasmic Reticulum, Golgi Complex, Lysosomes, Peroxisomes, Chloroplast & Mitochondria. Protein Glycosylation, intracellular protein traffic & Targeting.

UNIT IV: TRANSPORT ACROSS CELL MEMBRANES

Passive and Active Transport, Uniport, Symport, Antiport, Permeases, P- Type & V - Type Pumps, Na+/K+ ATPase, Lysosomal & Vacuolar membrane ATP dependent Proton Pumps, Endocytosis and Exocytosis, Transport into Prokaryotic Cells

UNIT V: CELL DIVISION

Overview of the Cell Cycle, Interphase, Mitosis, Cytokinesis & Meiosis. Animal Cell & Yeast Cell Division, Cell Cycle Control & Checkpoints.

UNIT VI: CELL DIFFERENTIATION

General Characteristics of Cell Differentiation, Differentiation in Unicellular & Multicellular Organism, Cytoplasmic determinants, Nucleoplasmic Interactions; Embryonic and adult stem cells and its Biological Importance.

UNIT VII: CELL SIGNALING - BASIC CONCEPTS

Intracellular signaling, types of signal receptors - Cytosolic, Nuclear & Membrane bound receptors, Chemo receptors of Bacteria (Attractants & Repellents), Signal Transduction by hormones - Steroid / Peptide hormones; Concept of Secondary messengers, cAMP, cGMP, Protein Kinases, G Proteins; Receptors & Non - receptors associated tyrosine kinases.

UNIT VIII: CANCER BIOLOGY - BASIC CONCEPTS

Characteristics of Cancer Cells, Types of Tumors, Molecular Basis of Cancer – Proto oncogene, Tumor Suppressor gene, telomerase, apoptosis, angiogenesis and metastasis, chemical carcinogens, cancer therapy.

TEXT BOOKS:

1) The Cell by Cooper.

2) Cell and Molecular biology – De Robertis and De Robertis (1998) Waverly Pvt. Ltd.

References:

1) Cell & Molecular Biology by Gerald Karp (2nd Ed.) Wiley publishers.

2) The World of the cell by Becker, Reece, Poenie (3rd edition) Benjamin

Publishers.

3) Molecular Biology of the cell by Bruce Alberts.

4) The biochemistry of Cell Signalling-Ernst J.M.Helmreich. Oxford Press.

5) The world of Cell. 5th edition- Becker, Kleinsmith, Harden,-Pearson

Publishers.

6) Cell & Molecular Biology by Phillip Sheeler and Donald E.Blanchi 3rd edition

John Wiley &sons