A note about this session
The cell and how it works is a topic that we could discuss for over a year. The fantastic structure and function of a cell will come back multiple times in the curriculum. This session is an introduction to cell biology, do not get too hung up on the details. A lot of this will come back in many of the Cellular Physiology sessions in the coming weeks. In those classes, you will take a much deeper dive into cell physiology. It's the first week of medical school; there is plenty of time to head into details at a later point.
This reading is suggested and not required. If you go through this guide and understand everything written and the videos posted, you should be fine. If you want more depth, the reading will help with that (this is how I will structure all of my session guides). Most medical students have learned a lot about the basics of the cell. Not everyone knows as much about the cell cycle, so you may want to look at that. Everything is in one pdf.
Remember, as you move through the curriculum, you will build on these concepts. These “need to know” lists will be posted with every session. I will try to include concepts, pathways, words, etc., that I believe are imperative for being an excellent medical student, passing the boards, and finally being an exemplary physician.Â
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Diagram and describe the structure of the cell, including organelles, membranes, and the cytoskeleton, and explain their roles in cellular function and pathology
- CatalaseÂ
- ColchicineÂ
- Vinblastine Â
- VincristineÂ
- Paciltaxel (Taxol)Â
- Plasma membraneÂ
- Golgi apparatusÂ
- SERÂ
- RERÂ
- LysosomeÂ
- PeroxisomeÂ
- MicrotubulesÂ
- Intermediate FilamentsÂ
- MicrofilamentsÂ
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Diagram and describe how lipids and proteins are distributed in a cellÂ
- Golgi apparatusÂ
- SERÂ
- RERÂ
- LysosomeÂ
- PeroxisomeÂ
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Diagram and describe the cell cycle, including the roles of cyclins and CDKs, and explain how dysregulation contributes to cancer and informs targeted therapies Â
- Retinoblastoma ProteinÂ
- E2F Transcription FactorsÂ
- CyclinsÂ
- Cyclin-Dependent KinasesÂ
- Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21Â
- p53Â
- Cell CycleÂ
- Cell Cycle CheckpointsÂ
- Methods to track cell divisionÂ
Diagram and describe the structure of the cell, including organelles, membranes, and the cytoskeleton, and explain their roles in cellular function and pathology
This is a broad learning goal, and here are a few Osmosis videos that will help you focus on what is important.
Diagram and describe how lipids and proteins are distributed in a cell
The Golgi apparatus is responsible for transporting, modifying, and packaging proteins and lipids into vesicles for delivery to various destinations.
Endocytosis and exocytosis. This video talks about both, but what the objective is concerned with starts around 6:45.
Diagram and describe the cell cycle, including the roles of cyclins and CDKs, and explain how dysregulation contributes to cancer and informs targeted therapies
The cell cycle is an essential concept to understand. Many therapeutics target the cell cycle; for example, there are CDK 4/6 inhibitors that can be used to treat hormone receptor (HR)-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative (HR+/HER2−) advanced breast cancer.
Two Osmosis videos are included here, a very basic one on the cell cycle and another on oncogenes. We will discuss these a bit more in class.
Oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. There is a good discussion of CDKs in the video. This material is more relevant for Heme/Onc, but it’s good to be introduced to it now.