Cell Biology Week 1 Reading

A micrometre is a unit of length equivalent to one millionth of a meter.

Bacteria are typically a few micrometres in diameter, while plant and animal cells are larger.

Organelles such as mitochondria and chloroplasts are also a few micrometres in size.

The nanometre is the unit of measurement for molecules and subcellular structures too small to be seen with a light microscope.

Ribosomes have a diameter of about 25 to 30 nm, while other structures such as cell membranes, microtubules, microfilaments, and DNA molecules are measured in nanometres.

The light microscope, which uses white light, played a significant role in identifying membrane-bounded structures in cells.

The electron microscope, which uses a beam of electrons, offers greater resolution and can show structures not visible with a light microscope.

The Calvin Cycle is the most common pathway for photosynthetic carbon metabolism.

Subcellular structures and macromolecules can be separated using centrifugation and the ultracentrifuge, which operates at high speeds.

Chromatography is a technique used to separate molecules based on size, charge, or affinity.

Electrophoresis separates proteins or DNA, and mass spectrometry determines their size and composition.

Mendel's studies of pea plants, published in 1866, established the principles of segregation and independent assortment of genes.

Walther Flemming identified chromosomes during cell division in 1880 and named the process mitosis.

Chromosomes were later recognized as a distinct species characteristic and showed constancy from generation to generation.

Mendel's findings were rediscovered in 1900 by Correns, von Tschermak, and de Vries, leading to the formulation of the chromosome theory of heredity.

The discovery of DNA by Miescher in 1869 paved the way for understanding the molecular basis of heredity.

Avery, MacLeod, and McCarty's 1944 experiment provided evidence that DNA is the genetic material.

Rosalind Franklin's X-ray diffraction images and Crick's central dogma hypothesis led to the acceptance of the double helix model for DNA structure and function.

A micrometre is a unit of length equivalent to one millionth of a meter.

Bacteria are typically a few micrometres in diameter, while plant and animal cells are larger.

Organelles such as mitochondria and chloroplasts are also a few micrometres in size.

The nanometre is the unit of measurement for molecules and subcellular structures too small to be seen with a light microscope.

Ribosomes have a diameter of about 25 to 30 nm, while other structures such as cell membranes, microtubules, microfilaments, and DNA molecules are measured in nanometres.

The light microscope, which uses white light, played a significant role in identifying membrane-bounded structures in cells.

The electron microscope, which uses a beam of electrons, offers greater resolution and can show structures not visible with a light microscope.

The Calvin Cycle is the most common pathway for photosynthetic carbon metabolism.

Subcellular structures and macromolecules can be separated using centrifugation and the ultracentrifuge, which operates at high speeds.

Chromatography is a technique used to separate molecules based on size, charge, or affinity.

Electrophoresis separates proteins or DNA, and mass spectrometry determines their size and composition.

Mendel's studies of pea plants, published in 1866, established the principles of segregation and independent assortment of genes.

Walther Flemming identified chromosomes during cell division in 1880 and named the process mitosis.

Chromosomes were later recognized as a distinct species characteristic and showed constancy from generation to generation.

Mendel's findings were rediscovered in 1900 by Correns, von Tschermak, and de Vries, leading to the formulation of the chromosome theory of heredity.

The discovery of DNA by Miescher in 1869 paved the way for understanding the molecular basis of heredity.

Avery, MacLeod, and McCarty's 1944 experiment provided evidence that DNA is the genetic material.

Rosalind Franklin's X-ray diffraction images and Crick's central dogma hypothesis led to the acceptance of the double helix model for DNA structure and function.

Miller's experiments in the 1950s detected glycine and alanine after a week of operation, suggesting possible formation of organic compounds essential for life under abiotic conditions

RNA is a key component in present-day cells, with DNA monomers derived from ribonucleotides, implying RNA's role in abiotic systems

Discovery of ribozymes in the 1980s: RNA molecules that fold into shapes catalyzing chemical reactions, supporting the "RNA world" hypothesis

Liposomes are artificial structures made from lipids similar to cellular membranes; they can reproduce, increase in size, and carry out simple metabolic reactions

Montmorillonite, a mineral clay derived from volcanic ash, may have played a role in the trapping of RNA into vesicles, forming the first "protocells"

Traditional distinction between prokaryotes and eukaryotes: prokaryotes lack a true, membrane-bound nucleus, whereas eukaryotes have one

Pioneering work by Carl Woese, Ralph Wolfe, and colleagues in the 1970s revealed that the so-called prokaryotes actually include two distinct groups: bacteria and archaea

Three domains of life: bacteria, archaea, and eukarya; the bacteria include most non-nucleated organisms, while archaea have diverse metabolic strategies and inhabit extreme environments

Cell size is limited by the requirement for an adequate surface area/volume ratio, diffusion rates, and the need to maintain adequate local concentrations of essential substances.