University of Guam
Course Outline
Course Number : BI416 & BI416L College (or sponsoring unit) : CAS
Course Title : Cellular Physiology Credit Hours : 4
Date of Final Approval : Semester Offered : Spring (Even Years)
Course Counts As : Part of Biology Major Program
1. Catalog Description :
Principles of cellular activity, mechanisms of energy exchange and nutrition, and structure and function at the cellular and subcellular levels of organization are examined. This course includes three hours of lecture weekly. The laboratory, BI416L, must be taken concurrently.. Prerequisite: CH310a, CH311, CH310b, and CH312 or concurring enrollment, BI157-157L, and BI158-158L equivalent.
2. Course Content :
This course will focus on the molecular approaches that have led to a greater understanding of the structure and function of the cell. Principle topics include cellular macromolecules, membrane structure & membrane transport, cell nucleus & gene expression, cell signalling, the immune system, and cancer biology. A special week-long workshop on endocrinology, to be given by Dr. Lovell Jones of the Endocrine Society, will also be conducted as part of the course.
3. Rationale for the Course:
Modern Biology has experienced an explosive growth in new molecular techniques and discoveries, in recent years. This has led to the accumulation of new information and a massive expansion of the field of cell biology. There is a tremendous need to find rational explanations and unifying concepts from a large and rapidly evolving body of knowledge, in order to understand the mechanism by which the cell functions as well as the molecular basis of disease.
The Cell Physiology course will provide a survey and principles of modern cell biology as well as new techniques of analysis at the molecular level. Current issues of importance as related to human health will be presented and hypothesis ventured in the areas that are poorly understood. This course will prepare students interested in careers in bio-medical research, medicine, biotechnology & agriculture related industries.
4. Skills and background required or expected :
Students are required to have taken the Principles of Biology lecture & laboratory course (BI157-157L and BI158-158L) as well as Organic Chemistry lecture and laboratory course (CH310a&CH310b, and CH311 &CH312).
5. Teaching methodologies and anticipated class size :
This course will involve lecture and laboratory activities. Formal lectures will be delivered using color transparencies and overhead projectors in order to present models of cellular structure and function. A Kinemage program will also be used which allows one to view the molecular structures three-dimensionally, rotating and manipulating them on the computer screen and watching as they undergo their conformational changes. The labs will be designed to introduce basic techniques and molecular approaches to study the structure and function of cells and students will be required to submit formal lab reports in scientific journal style.
Twenty two students are expected to enroll for the lecture course and will be distributed in two laboratory sections in order to make the limited equipment and resources more accessible to the students. Lab teams of two students will also assure participation of all students in experimental work.
6. Additional Course
Descriptors :
None.
7. Learning objectives for students :
To understand the specialized language used by biologists in describing cellular structure and function.
To understand concepts and the experimental evidence that supports the concept, and the insights that have come from molecular approaches.
To understand how cells function in isolation as well as in multicellular organisms by cooperation and specialization.
To apply knowledge of cellular structure & function in understanding the molecular basis of disease.
8. Methods of evaluation :
There will be four examinations for the lecture part of the course. The nature of the questions will be of three different kinds : simple review questions; more challenging thought questions; and problems based on experiments.
The laboratory component of the course will be graded on the basis of lab reports and quizzes.
Percentages assigned to the above tests will be as follows:
Lecture Examinations (4 x 15%) = 60%
Laboratory Reports + Quizzes = 40%
9. Required and recommended texts and/or study guides :
Molecular Biology of the Cell, Third Edition by Alberts et al., Garland Publishing Inc.
10. Subsequent Courses:
Cell Physiology course will prepare students for further specialized courses like Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, Immunology; Developmental Biology; Neurobiology.
The calendar of assignments, attendance and grading policies are to be included in the course syllabus.