Table of Contents
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
* Molecular Medicine: Viruses and Cancer
2. The Composition of Cells
* The Molecules of Cells
* Cell Membranes
* Proteomics: Large-Scale Analysis of Cell Proteins
* Key Experiment: The Folding of Polypeptide Chains
* Key Experiment: The Structure of Cell Membranes
3. Cell Metabolism
* The Central Role of Enzymes as Biological Catalysts
* Metabolic Energy
* The Biosynthesis of Cell Constituents
* Molecular Medicine: Phenylketonuria
* Key Experiment: Antimetabolites and Chemotherapy
4. Fundamentals of Molecular Biology
* Heredity, Genes, and DNA
* Expression of Genetic Information
* Recombinant DNA
* Detection of Nucleic Acids and Proteins
* Gene Function in Eukaryotes
* Key Experiment: The DNA Provirus Hypothesis
* Key Experiment: RNA Interference
PART II. THE FLOW OF GENETIC INFORMATION
5. The Organization and Sequences of Cellular Genomes
* The Complexity of Eukaryotic Genomes
* Chromosomes and Chromatin
* The Sequences of Complete Genomes
* Bioinformatics and Systems Biology
* Key Experiment: The Discovery of Introns
* Key Experiment: The Human Genome
6. 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
7. RNA Synthesis and Processing
* Transcription in Prokaryotes
* Eukaryotic RNA Polymerases and General Transcription Factors
* Requlation of Transcription in Eukaryotes
* RNA Processing and Turnover
* Key Experiment: Isolation of a Eukaryotic Transcription Factor
* Key Experiment: The Discovery of snRNPs
8. 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
* Key Experiment: The Discovery of Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
PART III. CELL STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION
9. The Nucleus
* The Nuclear Envelope and Traffic between the Nucleus and the Cytoplasm
* Internal Organization of the Nucleus
* The Nucleolus and rRNA Processing
* Molecular Medicine: Nuclear Lamina Diseases
* Key Experiment: Identification of Nuclear Localization Signals
10. Protein Sorting and Transport: The Endoplasmic Reticulum, Golgi Apparatus, and Lysosomes
* The Endoplasmic Reticulum
* The Golgi Apparatus
* The Mechanism of Vesicular Transport
* Lysosomes
* Key Experiment: The Signal Hypothesis
* Molecular Medicine: Gaucher Disease
11. Bioenergetics and Metabolism: Mitochondria, Chloroplasts, and Peroxisomes
* Mitochondria
* The Mechanism of Oxidative Phosphorylation
* Chloroplasts and Other Plastids
* Photosynthesis
* Peroxisomes
* Molecular Medicine: Diseases of Mitochondria: Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy
* Key Experiment: The Chemiosmotic Theory
12. The Cytoskeleton and Cell Movement
* Structure and Organization of Actin Filaments
* Actin, Myosin, and Cell Movement
* Intermediate Filaments
* Microtubules
* Microtubule Motors and Movement
* Key Experiment: Expression of Mutant Keratin Causes Abnormal Skin Development
* Key Experiment: The Isolation of Kinesin
13. The Plasma Membrane
* Structure of the Plasma Membrane
* Transport of Small Molecules
* Endocytosis
* Molecular Medicine: Cystic Fibrosis
* Key Experiment: The LDL Receptor
14. Cell Walls, the Extracellular Matrix, and Cell Interactions
* Cell Walls
* The Extracellular Matrix and Cell–Matrix Interactions
* Cell–Cell Interactions
* Key Experiment: The Characterization of Integrin
* Molecular Medicine: Gap Junction Diseases
PART IV. CELL REGULATION
15. Cell Signaling
* Signaling Molecules and Their Receptors
* Functions of Cell Surface Receptors
* Pathways of Intracellular Signal Transduction
* Signal Transduction and the Cytoskeleton
* Signaling Networks
* Key Experiment: G Protein-Coupled Receptors and Odor Detection
* Molecular Medicine: Cancer: Signal Transduction and the ras Oncogenes
16. The Cell Cycle
* The Eukaryotic Cell Cycle
* Regulators of Cell Cycle Progression
* The Events of M Phase
* Meiosis and Fertilization
* Key Experiment: The Discovery of MPF
* Key Experiment: The Identification of Cyclin
17. Cell Death and Cell Renewal
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* Programmed Cell Death
* Stem Cells and the Maintenance of Adult Tissues
* Embryonic Stem Cells and Therapeutic Cloning
* Key Experiment: Identification of Genes Required for Programmed Cell Death
* Key Experiment: Culture of Embryonic Stem Cells
18. Cancer
* The Development and Causes of Cancer
* Tumor Viruses
* Oncogenes
* Tumor Suppressor Genes
* Molecular Approaches to Cancer Treatment
* Key Experiment: The Discovery of Proto-Oncogenes
* Molecular Medicine: Imatinib: Cancer Treatment Targeted against the bcr/abl Oncogene