Known also as "cytology" is a scientific discipline that studies cells – their physiological properties, their structure, the organelles they contain, interactions with their environment, their life cycle, division and death.
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53 views
Significance of basal lamina for outer layers of epithelium
In stratified (not pseudostratified) epithelia such as the epidermis, what purpose does the basal lamina serve for the outer layer cells which do not even stand in contact with it?
Also, how do these ...
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143 views
Are the cytosol and extracellular fluids electrically neutral?
I've found several sources that state that overall, the cytosol of a cell is electrically neutral. The extracellular fluid is also purportedly electrically neutral. How can that be when we have ...
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83 views
Synthetic biology using existing cells
I was watching the video at this link:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17436365
The speaker says that a cell is taken and its original DNA content is stripped out and replaced with ...
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660 views
How does the Golgi Apparatus perform its function?
The Golgi Apparatus is an organelle with a great number of functions, I am particularly intrigued in the role it plays in packaging macromolecules and sending them to their target organelle or to ...
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70 views
Does GTP-γS (GTP gamma S) bind all GTP-binding proteins?
I've just read an article Rab10 GTPase regulates ER dynamics and morphology - Nature Cell Biology 15, 169–178 (2013) doi:10.1038/ncb2647. In this paper, to identify Rab proteins in ER, first they ...
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145 views
Computational/mathematical models for predicting phenotype from genotype
Karr, Sanghvi, et al. (2012) propose a whole-cell computational model for predicting phenotype from genotype in Mycoplasma genitalium. Their model simulates myriad cell processes such as DNA ...
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3k views
How many human cells are there in our body, on average?
How many human cells are there in our body, on average?
Wikipedia says 1013:
Bacterial cells are much smaller than human cells, and there are at least ten times as many bacteria as human cells in ...
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78 views
Cell proliferation limit and senescence of embryonic stem cells and fibroblasts
I am trying to understand the importance of proliferation limits and cell senescence. In particular, I would like to compare the proliferation limit of Embryonic Stem cells (ES) and fibroblasts (which ...
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71 views
Which cells are responsible for the extracellular matrix remodeling?
I am studying a case of tendinopathies induced by an alteration of how the extracellular matrix is being remodeled.
From my understanding there has to be a careful balance of MMP (metallproteinases) ...
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2answers
71 views
How extensive is CD47?
CD47 aka the "don't eat me" signal has recently been claimed to be expressed on all tumor cells. This doesn't seem to corroborate with other cell-biology experiments. On what other cells is CD47 ...
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95 views
Can in the case of multiple sclerosis (MS), a too high osmotic pressure in the nerve, lead to a high intracellular concentration of potassium?
Can in the case of multiple sclerosis (MS),
a too high osmotic pressure in the nerve,
lead to a high intracellular concentration of potassium,
and also lead to 'pumping up' of nerve cells,
which then ...
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1answer
103 views
How to Design an siRNA Experiment?
I'm going to undertake an siRNA experiment soon, but I have only read about them. I want to address the role an enzyme plays in processing a protein.
From what I understand, I will need to pick two ...
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93 views
Creating a cell, not from another cell. Will it be possible?
If some time in the future, we can know exactly what a cell (for example simple prokaryote bacteria) contains, (I mean, exactly which molecules, the shape of them, the density of each, everything), ...
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263 views
Multi-nucleated cells: advantages and examples?
This question arises because I saw that monocytes and leukocytes are commonly called 'mononuclear cells' in the scientific literature. The implication of course being that other immune sub-types are ...
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0answers
37 views
Primary cilia: what cell types have non-motile cilia that migrate?
My understanding is that there are two broad categories of cilia: motile and non-motile (also called primary.
Examples of the former include sperm flagella and the cilia of epithelial cells that ...
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1answer
106 views
Using ion-exchange chromatography to purify DNA from a cell extract - Is DNA more negatively charged then RNA?
When applying this method we have a glass or plastic column of resin which is positively charged. Then we pour cell extract into the column in order to capture the negatively charged particles which ...
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1answer
68 views
Number of spindle fibres during Metaphase?
During metaphase, the chromosomes are arranged on the equatorial plate and are attached to spindle fibres. After S phase, can the cell be said to attain the configuration of 4n?
Also, during ...
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254 views
Advice on Cell Biology texts by Alberts
I am currently reading "The Chemistry of Life" by Rose. It's a great book (to me as a lay reader at least) and an interesting topic so I am interested in pursuing some of the further reading he ...
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2answers
168 views
Under what circumstances will a human neuron divide?
I read somewhere that a mature neuron loses its ability to divide, except for very specific situations. I was unable to find the description of those situations. What are they?
(I'm sorry I'm not ...
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1answer
50 views
Are there oligocellular organisms in nature and, if so, what are they like?
I'd think protozoans can be oligocellular, but I haven't found any examples, and I'm curious to know what is the minimum number of cells an organism can have other than a single cell.
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469 views
Why does alcohol cause the hemolysis of RBC in a large proportion?
I had today an experiment that we put 95% alcohol to the blood which made it completely transparent so hemolysis must have occurred.
I started to think about the reasons.
I think that this is because ...
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2answers
2k views
How do archaea relate to eukaryotes and bacteria?
I've read that they all share some genes, internal structure, and behaviour with each other, but with different degrees of overlap depending of what the function is. E.g., archaea have some eukaryotic ...
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1answer
79 views
How are lysosome membranes protected from the attack of hydrolases?
Lysosomes are a bit like the suicidal bags of cells. They help to clean cells, have an acidic pH and contain a large number of hydrolyzing enzymes.
But why don't these hydrolyzing enzymes attack ...
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170 views
Lifespan of connective tissue cells
This post is regarding a follow up on my initial post on "Properties and life cycle of chondrocytes and tenocytes".
I am elaborating on my question on the lifespan of tenocytes and chondrocytes.
...
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1answer
233 views
Is there a relationship between efficiency of cellular metabolism and warm-blooded-ness?
My BIO 101 book states that when human cells convert glucose to ATP, the process is only approx 35% efficient, and much of the potential energy is lost as heat. However, that heat is useful to us in ...
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67 views
Regarding TIMP and MMP enzymes
Are there substances that can promote TIMP enzyme production, or MMP enzyme production or supression in tendons?
Are there medical tests that measure quantities of MMP and TIMP enzymes in tendons?
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151 views
What's the distinction between a tetrad and a synaptonemal complex in meiosis?
What's the distinction between a tetrad and a synaptonemal complex in meiosis? Are they synonyms?
I ask because the concepts seem very closely related, but it seems like there may be a subtle ...
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2answers
172 views
Effects of exercise on the brain
I am well aware of the phenomenon of neurogenesis induced by exercise, as well as the dopamine release that results from exercise. I am really interested in neuropsychology and the effects of exercise ...
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1answer
53 views
Intrinsic apoptosis in erythrocytes
With a lack of mitochondria, can red blood cells perform intrinsic apoptosis and do they have another way of generating cytochrome c to attach to a CARD domain and assemble the apoptosome?
Or are ...
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52 views
Can NSAIDs impact negatively the healing of tendons?
There are a number of articles regarding NSAIDs having a negative effect on healing conditions like tendonosis and tendinitis. From what I understand the channel through which they reduce inflammation ...
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1answer
58 views
Why are certain aneuploidies more common?
Certain aneuploidies such as trisomy-21 (Downs syndrome), trisomy-18 (Edward syndrome), Turner syndrome (XO) etc are more common than others.
I had a vague thought that it is related to chromosome ...
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3answers
313 views
Are there verbs for “undergo mitosis” and “undergo meiosis”?
From my experience on SE sites, I believe this is the right site to ask this question under "terminology".
I've been trying to find out whether English has one-word verbs for "undergo mitosis" and ...
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2answers
72 views
Connect the inner and outer space of cell with a wire, will there be electricity?
There is a potential difference, but ions can not go through wires, right? Though there is a electric field, but there is no electron source, I am thinking the answer is no, or will there be some ...
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79 views
What are the different, high-level programs along which a eukaryotic animal cell can follow?
What are the different, high-level, disjunct (mutually exclusive at one particular point in time) programs or pathways along which a eukaryotic animal cell can follow? Examples of programs would ...
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34 views
What molecular processes are involved in pseudopodial extension?
I am curious as to the processes and mechanisms involved in the extension of pseudopodia in amoeba. How does the cell know and control the direction and extent of pseudopodia formation at a molecular ...
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1answer
39 views
What plastic eating organisms are there to help with plastic in landfills problem?
I see some popular science articles on the plastic eating bacteria and fungi appearing on the web since 2009. Most of the articles praise discoveries, because such organisms promise to break down ...
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1answer
112 views
“Acellular” designation for organisms
Why do some biologists refer to single-celled organisms such as Amoeba and Paramecium as
acellular (i.e., without cells) rather than unicellular (i.e., one cell)?
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76 views
What is the distinction between chemokines, cytokines, interferons and interleukins?
They all seem to describe molecules of similar function and many people seem to use them interchangeably.
Also please include any other similar molecules if I've forgotten any in the list above.
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1answer
39 views
What is range of the number of individual organelles in cells
What is the range of the number of individual organelles in a cell?
I am not a biologist but I understand that there's one nucleus and sometimes lots of mitochondria, so I am after the total number.
...
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1answer
70 views
Does an allergic reaction kill body cells?
I have wondered what actually happens in an allergic reaction that causes the symptoms such as pain, rash etc.
Is it possible that the human body actually kills its own cells in the process?
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2answers
198 views
Simple diffusion of lipid-soluble molecules through phospholipid bilayer — does anything get “stuck” in transit?
It's a pretty elementary concept, and when I first learned of it I don't think I had the foundations to even think of such a question, but I found myself the other day thinking about the amphipathic ...
3
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2answers
284 views
What type of cell do you start with in Meiosis?
Okay, I was learning about mitosis and meiosis in school and had a question. I know in Mitosis you first start off with a Diploid (2N) cell and then end up with two ...
3
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1answer
37 views
How does sugar enter neurons if they don't use insulin?
I heard somewhere that as opposed to other cells, neurons do not use insulin to get their sugar supply.
Why is that?
What is the alternative mechanism? I assume sugar can't just enter the cell ...
3
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2answers
44 views
Cell cycle selection
Is it possible to select from colonies only cells which are at a certain stage in the cell cycle? E.g. if I was trying to analyse expression of a number of genes during different stages of the cell ...
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1answer
73 views
Are there records of monozygotic twins in which one experiences androgen insensitivity syndrome
I have given my high school biology students the thought experiment of "What would happen if a researcher induced twinning of a female zygote and then replaced one of the X Chromosomes with a copy of ...
3
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2answers
97 views
Why is most tissue cellular?
Most tissue is comprised of cells. Why? It would seem inefficient to have so many individual nucleus, membranes, etc.?
Specifically: Not all tissue is cellular. Much tissue is extracellular matrix. ...
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0answers
15 views
A program for cell motility assessment with a batch process function?
Cell motility assessment is a branch of experimental biology or medical science. One example could be an assessment of treatment effects on sperm motility of an animal. The standard procedure involves ...
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0answers
48 views
How does healing work?
I stacked my bike and split my head right open. About three weeks later the scab falls off and the skin is sealed over, like magic! How does it all work? How does the brain know that part of the ...
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0answers
43 views
Microscopy Book Suggestions
I've learned programming through great book recommendations, many from the Stack Exchange series of sites. I'm hoping to take this approach to gaining a fundamental understanding of how fluorescence ...
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0answers
28 views
Patch-Clamping Neurons Resources
Are there any lectures available on Patch-Clamping?
Were can I find a mathematical model of Patch-Clamp? (that can be easily implemented in matlab).
I have found some step-by-step protocols on ...
