Cell Biology

Fundamental core concepts in modern biology

What you'll learn

Distinguish eukaryotic from prokaryotic cells.

Identify the differences between animal and plant cells.

Describe the structure and function of key cellular organelles.

Understand the cellular basis of asexual and sexual reproduction.

Appreciate how cells are the basic, full functioning unit of life.

Requirements

No previous knowledge required or assumed, just a passion and excitement for cell biology!

Description

Biology is broad and widely applicable to many fields, from nursing and medicine to chemical engineering and environmental science.  At its most fundamental, is the study of cells.  My course in cell biology provides an exceptional easy and straight-forward approach to learning this key and fundamental topic in biology.  This will ensure your solid grounding for further studies in biology, where you can build on these concepts further in molecular biology, genetics, microbiology and more.If you've left school and you want to prepare yourself for study in a course where an understanding of biology is assumed and essential, my cell biology short course can ensure you've got a grasp of the important core concepts.  Thus, this course could be seen as a mini-bridging course.  Maybe you want to 'dip your toes' into biology, but want a feel of the fundamental aspects before doing so - if so, this course will be right for you as well.  Maybe you've just got a fascination for the biological world - this course will satisfy your curiosity.We start with an important grounding in the scientific method and scientific communication.  The next three lectures focus on prokaryotic cells, outlining differences between Archaea and Bacteria before delving into the structure of bacterial cells, especially membrane transport.  The rest of the course largely concentrates on eukaryotes.  Levels of organisation in animals and plants, before consideration of organelles in animal and plant cells.  We finish the course looking at the eukaryotic cell cycle, with special attention to mitosis and meiosis.During your study of this self-paced course, you're able to e-mail me directly for further information, questions or clarifications at anytime.  I'll be more than happy to address any uncertainties you have with the material.  My passionate fascination with the biological world has led me to create this, my first online in cell biology, building on many years of F2F teaching of university students.

Overview

Section 1: Introduction

Lecture 1 Welcome and course overview

Lecture 2 Scientific method and science communication

Section 2: Prokaryotic cell structure and function - an introduction to microbiology

Lecture 3 Overview of Archaea and Bacteria

Lecture 4 Bacterial cell structure

Lecture 5 Transport across the prokaryotic cell membrane

Section 3: Eukaryotic cell biology

Lecture 6 Levels of organisation in animals and plants and introduction to Eukarya

Lecture 7 Organelles of the animal cell

Lecture 8 Organelles of the plant cell and organisation into tissues

Section 4: Reproduction at the cellular level

Lecture 9 Mitosis

Lecture 10 Meiosis

Aspiring students of science, nursing, medicine or allied health undergraduate courses who want to gain a head start on knowledge foundational cell biology, enabling them to delve deeper, sooner and achieve greater understanding.