Course Contents

Aims and Objectives: Objectives of the course are to impart knowledge about the animal cell and its complex organization of architecture and the unified role it plays for the ultimate sustainability of the organisms. The various ultra- structural, molecular and functional aspects of the cells will be communicated in this course. Course Contents Introduction to prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells: Plasma membrane, its chemical composition structure and functions: of plasma membranes, cell permeability, active transport, endocytosis, phagocytosis. Cytoskeleton: Microfilaments, Microtubules, Intermediate filaments. Cytoplasmic Organelles: Membrane system (structural and functional commonalities). Ultrastructure, chemical composition and functions of Endoplasmic Reticulum with special reference to their role in protein synthesis and drug metabolism), Golgi Apparatus (with reference to its role in synthesis of glycoprotein), Mitochondria (with reference to its role in cellular respiration, and its significance as semi-autonomous organelle), Lysosome (with reference to its diverse roles due to hydrolytic activity of enzymes), peroxisome (with reference to metabolism of hydrogen peroxide), glycoxysome (with reference to glyoxylic acid cycle). Nucleus, chromatin, heterochromatin, euchromatin, chromosome structure with reference to coiling and nucleosome during different phases of cell cycle, Replication (mechanism, DNA replication in prokaryotes specially with reference to variety of DNA polymerases and other proteins involved, DNA replication in Eukaryotes with special reference to DNA polymerases, concept of Replicons etc.), Transcription (variety of RNA and their characteristics, synthesis of mRNA, rRNA and tRNA with special reference to enzymes, involved, RNA splicing, split genes, concept of Ribozymes and posttranscriptional processing), RNA transduction, Genetic code, point mutations, Translation (with reference to the specific role of Ribosomes, various factors, and posttranslational processing).Control of Gene expression in Prokaryotes. Books Recommended 1. Alberts, B., Bray, D., Lewis, J., Raff, M., Roberts, K. and Watson, J.D. MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF THE CELL, 1989. Garland Publishing Inc., New York. 2. Damell Jr. J., Lodisch, H. and Balimore, D. MOLECULAR CELL BIOLOGY, 1990. Scientific American Inc. N.Y. 3. De Robertis, E. D. P. and De Robertis Jr. E. N. F. CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, 1987. Lea & Febiger, New York. 4. Karp, J. CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, CONCEPTS AND EXPERIMENTS, 2005. Jhon Wiley and Sons, INC. 5. Geoffrey M.C., Robert E.H. THE CELL: A MOLECULAR APPROACH, 2007. Sinauer Associates, INC.