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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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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1answer
50 views
Can proteins move outside cells?
I am trying to learn about basic cell biology, and have what is probably an extremely simple question.
So this is how I understand it so far:
Proteins are made from amino acids. This process is ...
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1answer
16 views
Transplantation of stem cells
During the autologous transplantation of stems cells from bone marrow to produce new blood cells why all the other stem cells other than the one obtained are destroyed?
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0answers
20 views
How to use mechanical microstrainer to extract tissue proteins from human?
Background:
There are many methods to extract proteins form human tissues out there. The majority of them use an extraction buffer containing variable concentrations of detergents and protease ...
5
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1answer
72 views
Why aren't organelles considered alive?
I'm taking a 3-week Bio I summer course, and my textbook says the cell is the smallest/basic unit of life. I asked my professor why organelles aren't a living unit, and her reply was that they aren't ...
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2answers
79 views
How are different types of cells created from zygote?
In the process of mitosis that starts from zygote, how do different cells appear? What happens that some cells become one type and some another?
For example, is there a cell that divides into a ...
2
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1answer
30 views
Will lipid molecules 'flip-flop' over a membrane without the use of an enzyme?
All of the references to this I can find refer to enzymes like Flippase making it 'easier' or 'more likely' that the translocation will occur, rather than actually make it possible.
The following is ...
3
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1answer
61 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 ...
2
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0answers
39 views
Why is saltatory conduction faster than continuous conduction?
How does spacing apart sodium and potassium channels allow the action potential to travel faster down the axon? This is the reason always cited for saltatory conduction and myelination, but my mental ...
5
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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 ...
5
votes
1answer
108 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 ...
5
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1answer
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 ...
7
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2answers
121 views
Does pheomelanin have a useful biological function?
Melanin is a natural pigment that is categorized into two main forms, eumelanin and pheomelanin. It's well documented in the science literature that increased eumelanin levels reduces the risk of ...
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0answers
28 views
Example(s) of reduced rate of mitotic progression?
Most species complete mitosis, and in particular the process of chromosome condensation, rather quickly, in a matter of minutes. Are there any known species that undergo mitoses with substantially ...
3
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1answer
79 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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3answers
321 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 ...
2
votes
1answer
29 views
Up to date B cell review
Where would I find an up to date (last 6-7 years max) review on B cells? I've tried searching through pubmed with filters, cochrane library, medline and various other resources including searching old ...
3
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1answer
38 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 ...
11
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1answer
395 views
Is there an advantage to linear chromosomes?
The DNA copying enzymes have a hard time working to the end of a chromosome. For circular chromosomes this is not a problem, since there is not a sharp 'end'. However, for a linear chromosome, without ...
3
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1answer
37 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
75 views
How exactly does marijuana damage brain cells?
I've heard that THC can cause permanent damage to brain cells. I've also heard this reffered to anti drug propaganda. Another theory i've read is that temporary effects reduce intelligence but long ...
5
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1answer
96 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 ...
6
votes
1answer
64 views
number of RNA pol II molecules in a given human nucleus?
Does anybody have any estimate on the number of RNA pol II molecules in the nucleus of a given human cell? For example, how many RNA polymerase type II protein complexes would there be on average at a ...
3
votes
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.
...
5
votes
1answer
106 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 ...
5
votes
1answer
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 ...
2
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0answers
33 views
Onset of Autophagy
Fasting and Intermittent Fasting (IF) have been proven to start autophagy (cellular self-digestion). How long does the average man and woman have to wait for autophagy to begin? Does diet prior to ...
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1answer
27 views
What is background binding?
I'm reading a journal article about mitochondrial protein import and it mentions that one of the mutant proteins tested showed background binding with another protein. What the heck is background ...
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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
18 views
When to do power of analysis? [duplicate]
I do cell biology work and nothing clinical. Should I be performing power of analysis before doing experiments? Most of the time I never see POA done in papers that have to do with work done on the ...
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vote
1answer
96 views
What is the appropriate blender speed to maximize nutrition and digestion of fruits and vegetables?
Blender companies state that a blender for smoothies should have speeds of at least 30000 rpm. They argue that only at 30000 rpm are cells of fruits and vegetables sheared enough to maximize nutrition ...
2
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1answer
74 views
What in soy are people allergic to and will these allergens be passed along if an animal that has eaten soy is consumed?
I have two related questions about soy allergies and possible reactions.
What is it that are humans who have soy allergies actually allergic to? What is the allergen?
If an animal eats soy, are ...
6
votes
1answer
72 views
How was the first ribosome theorized to have been made?
Seeing as ribosomes are what help perform the act of translation itself, and the blueprints for they themselves are in nucleotide sequences, how was the first ribosome theorized to have been made? ...
5
votes
2answers
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), ...
5
votes
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 ...
3
votes
1answer
41 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 ...
4
votes
2answers
258 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 ...
5
votes
1answer
72 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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1answer
38 views
Cell Respiration and Oxidative Phosphorylation
Why and how does the proton travelling through the stalked particle in the inner mitochondrial membrane, cause a conformational change in the ATPase?
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1answer
54 views
Is it possible to give a person an allergic reaction in a very specific place?
Can I give a person an allergic reaction at a very specific spot in a tissue?
And if so, how accurate can i get?
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2answers
269 views
Could hydrogen replace oxygen in cellular respiration?
I was wondering what oxygen actually does in the body. I have seen a few answers to other questions that involve the electron chain and I am really not sure what that is. So I was wondering what ...
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vote
1answer
58 views
What is the biochemical reason for mental fatigue?
Is it known exactly why the brain needs sleep? What's dropping low / going high when we experience mental fatigue? I can see why low glucose could result in mental fatigue, are other reasons known?
3
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2answers
223 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
votes
1answer
71 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?
5
votes
1answer
118 views
Can you consider a human as alive, or is it the cells on the body that are alive?
Sorry if this question seems strange, but in the recent time I have been interested in the question of what life is and how you can define life.
My question:
How long can individual cells live on a ...
3
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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 ...
3
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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 ...
11
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3answers
353 views
Why do red blood cells contain haemoglobin and not myoglobin?
So I am reading about muscles and I come across myoglobin. It has a much higher affinity for oxygen than haemoglobin. So why have animals evolved to have haemoglobin in red blood cells, rather than ...
3
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1answer
76 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 ...
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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 ...
