Cell biology (also called cellular biology or cytology, from the Greek kytos, "container") is an academic discipline which studies cells. This includes their physiological properties such as their structure and the organelles they contain, their environment and interactions, their life cycle, division and function (physiology) and eventual death. This is done both on a microscopic and molecular level, and cell biology researches both single-celled organisms like bacteria and specialized cells in multicellular organisms like humans. This is a list of academic disciplines (and academic fields). ... Cells in culture, stained for keratin (red) and DNA (green) The cell is the structural and functional unit of all living organisms, and are sometimes called the building blocks of life. ... Physiology (in Greek physis = nature and logos = word) is the study of the mechanical, physical, and biochemical functions of living organisms. ... In cell biology, an organelle is one of several structures with specialized functions, suspended in the cytoplasm of a eukaryotic cell. ... The cell cycle, or cell division cycle, is the cycle of events in a eukaryotic cell from one cell division to the next. ... Cell division is the process by which a cell (called the parent cell) divides into two cells (called daughter cells). ... Physiology (in Greek physis = nature and logos = word) is the study of the mechanical, physical, and biochemical functions of living organisms. ... Apoptosis In biology, apoptosis (from the Greek words apo = from and ptosis = falling, commonly pronounced ap-a-tow-sis[1]) is one of the main types of programmed cell death (PCD). ... It has been suggested that microscopy be merged into this article or section. ... In general, a molecule is the smallest particle of a pure chemical substance that still retains its composition and chemical properties. ... Phyla/Divisions Actinobacteria Aquificae Bacteroidetes/Chlorobi Chlamydiae/Verrucomicrobia Chloroflexi Chrysiogenetes Cyanobacteria Deferribacteres Deinococcus-Thermus Dictyoglomi Fibrobacteres/Acidobacteria Firmicutes Fusobacteria Gemmatimonadetes Nitrospirae Omnibacteria Planctomycetes Proteobacteria Spirochaetes Thermodesulfobacteria Thermomicrobia Thermotogae Bacteria (singular, bacterium) are a major group of living organisms. ... Binomial name Homo sapiens Linnaeus, 1758 Subspecies Homo sapiens idaltu  (extinct) Homo sapiens sapiens Homo (genus). ...

Knowing the composition of cells and how cells work is fundamental to all of the biological sciences. Appreciating the similarities and differences between cell types is particularly important to the fields of cell and molecular biology. These fundamental similarities and differences provide a unifying theme, allowing the principles learned from studying one cell type to be extrapolated and generalized to other cell types. Research in cell biology is closely related to genetics, biochemistry, molecular biology and developmental biology. Molecular biology is the study of biology at a molecular level. ... Genetics (from the Greek genno γεννώ= give birth) is the science of genes, heredity, and the variation of organisms. ... Biochemistry is the study of the chemistry of life, a bridge between biology and chemistry that studies how complex chemical reactions give rise to life. ... Molecular biology is the study of biology at a molecular level. ... Developmental biology is the study of the process by which organisms grow and develop. ...

Processes in cell biology

Movement of proteins

Proteins are synthesized by ribosomes in the cytoplasm. This process is also known as protein biosynthesis or simply protein translation. Some proteins, such as those to be incorporated in membranes (membrane proteins), are transported into the ER during synthesis and further processed in the Golgi apparatus. From the Golgi, membrane proteins can move to the plasma membrane, to other subcellular comparments or they can be secreted from the cell. The ER and Golgi can be thought of as the "membrane protein synthesis compartment" and the "membrane protein processing compartment", respectively. There is a semi-constant flux of proteins through these compartments. ER and Golgi-resident proteins associate with other proteins but remain in their respective compartments. Other proteins "flow" through the ER and Golgi to the plasma membrane. From the plasma membrane, proteins destined to be degraded move back into intracellular compartments (lysosomes) where they are broken down to their individual amino acids. A representation of the 3D structure of myoglobin, showing coloured alpha helices. ... Figure 1: Ribosome structure indicating small subunit (A) and large subunit (B). ... Cytoplasm is a homogeneous, generally clear jelly-like material that fills cells. ... An overview of protein synthesis. ... Translation is the second process of protein biosynthesis (part of the overall process of gene expression). ... A membrane protein is a protein molecule that is attached to, or associated with the membrane of a cell or an organelle. ... The endoplasmic reticulum or ER (endoplasmic means within the cytoplasm, reticulum means little net) is an organelle found in all eukaryotic cells. ... In cell biology, the Golgi apparatus (also called a Golgi body, Golgi complex, or dictyosome) is an organelle found in most eukaryotic cells, including those of plants, animals, and fungi. ... Drawing of a cell membrane A component of every biological cell, the cell membrane (or plasma membrane) is a thin and structured bilayer of phospholipid and protein molecules that envelopes the cell. ... Lysosomes contain digestive enzymes (acid hydrolases) to digest macromolecules. ... In chemistry, an amino acid is any molecule that contains both amino and carboxylic acid functional groups. ...

Techniques

Purification of cells and their parts

Purification of cells and their parts is achieved in the following ways:

• Cell fractionation
• Flow cytometry
• Release of cellular organelles by disruption of cells.
• Separation of different organelles by centrifugation.
• Proteins extracted from membranes by detergents and salts.

Cell fractionation is the separation of homogeneous sets from a heterogeneous population of cells Steps Disruption of cells and liberation of organelles. ... Flow cytometry is a technique for counting, examining and sorting microscopic particles suspended in a stream of fluid. ... Centrifugation is a process that involves the use of the centrifugal force for the separation of mixtures. ... It has been suggested that Net flux be merged into this article or section. ... A detergent is a compound, or a mixture of compounds, intended to assist cleaning. ... A magnified crystal of salt In chemistry, salt is a term used for ionic compounds composed of positively charged cations and negatively charged anions, so that the product is neutral and without a net charge. ...

See also

• Active transport
• Adhesion
• Cell disruption
• Chloroplast
• Cilia
• Cytoplasm
• Cytoskeleton
• Endoplasmic reticulum
• Flagella
• Glycolysis
• Golgi apparatus
• Lipid bilayer
• Membrane
• Mitochondrion
• Nucleus
• Organelle
• Passive transport
• Ribosome
• Signal transduction
• Vesicle
• Important publications in cell biology

Active transport is the mediated transport of biochemicals, and other atomic/molecular substances, across membranes. ... Schematic of cell adhesion The study of cell adhesion is part of cell biology. ... // Choosing The Best Cell Disruption Method for Research and Pharmaceutical Production The production of biologically interesting molecules using cloning and culturing methods allows the study and manufacture of relevant molecules for research and pharmaceutical production. ... The inside of a chloroplast Chloroplasts are organelles found in plant cells and eukaryotic algae that conduct photosynthesis. ... cross-section of two cilia, showing 9+2 structure A cilium (plural cilia) is a fine projection from a eukaryotic cell that constantly beats in one direction. ... Cytoplasm is a homogeneous, generally clear jelly-like material that fills cells. ... The cytoskeleton is a cellular scaffolding or skeleton contained, as all other organelles, within the cytoplasm. ... The endoplasmic reticulum or ER (endoplasmic means within the cytoplasm, reticulum means little net) is an organelle found in all eukaryotic cells. ... A flagellum (plural, flagella) is a whip-like organelle that many unicellular organisms, and some multicellular ones, use to move about. ... Glycolysis is a term referring to a series of biochemical reactions by which a molecule of glucose is oxidized to two molecules of pyruvic acid. ... In cell biology, the Golgi apparatus (also called a Golgi body, Golgi complex, or dictyosome) is an organelle found in most eukaryotic cells, including those of plants, animals, and fungi. ... A diagonal molecular slab from the DPPC lipid bilayer simulation1; color scheme: PO4 - green, N(CH3)3 - violet, water - blue, terminal CH3 - yellow, O - red, glycol C - brown, chain C - grey. ... Drawing of a cell membrane A component of every biological cell, the selectively permeable cell membrane (or plasma membrane or plasmalemma) is a thin and structured bilayer of phospholipid and protein molecules that envelopes the cell. ... Mitochondria are visible as thread-like structures in the light microscope. ... In cell biology, the nucleus (from Latin nucleus or nuculeus, kernel) is found in all eukaryotic cells that contains most of the cells genetic material. ... Schematic of typical animal cell, showing subcellular components. ... Passive transport is a means of moving biochemicals, and other atomic or molecular substances, across membranes. ... Figure 1: Ribosome structure indicating small subunit (A) and large subunit (B). ... In biology, signal transduction is any process by which a cell converts one kind of signal or stimulus into another. ... In cell biology, a vesicle is a relatively small and enclosed compartment, separated from the cytosol by at least one lipid bilayer. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

External links

Wikibooks has more about this subject:

Cell biology

• Immunohistochemistry - In Situ Hybridization
• Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology
• Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology (journal home)
• The Virtual Library of Biochemistry and Cell Biology
• This article contains material from the Science Primer published by the NCBI, which, as a US government publication, is in the public domain at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/About/disclaimer.html.