Chapter 2 Summary
Chapter 2.1
- Light microscopy allows cell biologist to view whole cell structure and some of the larger organelles, especially with the help of specialized stains
- Different types of light microscopy can further enhance our understanding of cell structure, including as phase contrast, DIC, and fluorescence microscopy
- Electron microscopy facilitates higher magnification and higher resolution view of cells than light microscopy, allowing us to see finer details of cell structure such as ribosomes and membranes
- Electron microscope improve resolving power is by using electrons (which have very short wavelengths) rather than visible light to image specimens
Chapter 2.2
- Biochemistry is important for understanding cell function, especially functions involving enzymes and metabolic pathways
- To determine the function of specific organelles or molecules, it is important to be able to isolate those components away from the rest of the cell so they can be studied in isolation
- Centrifugation, chromatography, and electrophoresis are all important techniques for helping isolate cellular components
Chapter 2.3
- Much research was required to establish that DNA carries genetic information, including the discoveries of chromosomes, their composition, and their function.
- The Central Dogma of Molecular Biology explains how information in DNA (genes) is transcribed to RNA and translated to protein
- Techniques that manipulate the Central Dogma such as recombinant DNA technology, RNA interference, and CRISPR Cas genome editing can be used to figure out the function of specific genes and proteins
- Modern genetics often involves -omics (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics) technologies that generate large datasets, which are then analyzed through bioinformatics
