The Cell

Part I: Introduction. 1: An Overview of Cells and Cell Research. The Origin and Evolution of Cells. Cells as Experimental Models. Tools of Cell Biology. Key Experiment: Animal Cell Culture. 2: The Chemistry of Cells. The Molecular Composition of Cells. The Central Role of Enzymes as Biological Catalysts. Metabolic Energy. Biosynthesis of Cell Constituents. Cell Membranes. Key Experiment: The Folding of Polypeptide Chains. Molecular Medicine: Phenylketonuria. 3: Fundamentals of Molecular Biology. Heredity, Genes, and DNA. Expression of Genetic Information. Recombinant DNA. Detection of Nucleic Acids and Proteins. Studying Gene Function in Eukaryotes. Key Experiment: The DNA Provirus Hypothesis. Molecular Medicine: HIV and AIDS. Part II: The Flow of Genetic Information. 4: The Organization of Cellular Genomes. The Complexity of Eukaryotic Genomes. Chromosomes and Chromatin. Analysis of Complete Genomes. Key Experiment: The Discovery of Introns. Molecular Medicine: Gene Therapy for Adenosine Deaminase Deficiency. 5: Replication, Maintenance, and Rearrangements of Genomic DNA. DNA Replication. DNA Repair. Recombination between homologous DNA Sequences. DNA Rearrangements. Key Experiment: Rearrangement of Immunoglobulin Genes. Molecular Medicine: Colon Cancer and DNA Repair. 6: RNA Synthesis and Processing. Transcription in Prokaryotes. Eukaryotic RNA Polymerases and Basal Transcription Factors. Transcriptional Regulation in Eukaryotes. RNA Processing and Turnover. Key Experiment: Isolation of a Eukaryotic Transcription Factor. Molecular Medicine: The Pit-1 Transcription Factor and Growth Hormone Deficiency. 7: Protein Synthesis, Processing; and Regulation. Translation of mRNA. Protein Folding and Processing. Regulation of Protein Function. Protein Degradation. Key Experiment: Catalytic Role of Ribosomal RNA. Molecular Medicine: Antibiotics and Protein Synthesis. Part III: Cell Structure and Function. 8: The Nucleus. The Nuclear Envelope and Traffic Between the Nucleus and Cycloplasm. Internal Organization of the Nucleus. The Nucleolus. The Nucleus During Mitosis. Key Experiment: Identification of Nuclear Localization Signals. Molecular Medicine: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. 9: Protein Sorting and Transport: The Endoplasmic Reticulum, Goli Apparatus, and Lysosomes. The Endoplasmic Reticulum. The Golgi Apparatus. The Mechanism of Vesicular Transport. Lysosomes. Key Experiment: The Signal Hypothesis. Molecular Medicine: Gaucher's Disease. 10: Bioenergetics and Metabolism: Mitochondria, Chloroplasts, and Peroxisomes. Mitochondria. The Mechanism of Oxidative Phosphorylation. Chloroplasts and Other Plastids. Photosynthesis. Peroxisomes. Key Experiment: The Chemiosmotic Theory. Molecular Medicine: Diseases of Mitochondria: Leber's Hereditary Optic Neuropathy. 11: The Cytoskeleton and Cell Movement. Structure and Organization of Actin Filaments. Actin, Myosin, and Cell Movement. Intermediate Filaments. Microtubules. Microtubule Motors and Movements. Key Experiment: The Isolation of Kinesin. Molecular Medicine: Muscular Dystrophy and the Cytoskeleton. 12: The Cell Surface. Structure of the Plasma Membrane. Transport of Small Moleculars. Endocytosis. Cell Walls and the Extracellular Matrix. Cell-Cell Interactions. Key Experiment: The LDL Receptor. Molecular Medicine: Cystic Fibrosis. Part IV: Cell Regulation. 13: Cell Signaling. Signaling Molecules and Their REceptors. Functions of Cell Surface Receptors. Pathways of Intracellular Signal Transduction. Signal Transduction and the Cytoskelton. Key Experiment: The Src Protein-Tyrosine Kinase. Molecular Mecicine: Cancer, Signal Transducfgion, and the ras Oncogenes. 14: The Cell Cycle. The Eukaryotic Cell Cycle. Regulators of Cell Cycle Progression. The Events of M Phase. Meiosis and Fertilization. Development, Differentiation, and Programmed Cell Death. Key Experiment: The Discovery of MPF. Molecular Medicine: In Vitro Fertilization. 15: Cancer. The Development and Causes of Cancer. Tumor Viruses. Oncogenes. Tumor Suppressor Genes. Applications of Molecular Biology to Cancer Prevention and Treatment. Key Experiment: The Discovery of Proto-oncogenes. Molecular Medicine: Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia and Retinoic Acid