COMING IN FALL 2000 --
MOLECULAR CELL BIOLOGY LABORATORY -- PCB 3023L
Pre-requisites
Students must be co-enrolled in, or have completed, PCB 3023 (Molecular Cell Biology)
Description
This will be an independent laboratory course exploring the experimental approaches and methodologies employed in addressing modern cell biology questions. The course is designed to complement material presented in the lecture course, Molecular Cell Biology, PCB3023 and give students hands on experience in a range of techniques used in cell biology.
Students will conduct a series of exercises which will use biochemical, molecular and microscopic techniques to investigate membrane composition and behavior, organelle motility, and subcellular compartmentalization. These exercises will demonstrate how scientists approach questions on cell biology with an integrated experimental approach.
Students will be exposed to major techniques in protein biochemistry, enzyme kinetics, immuno-staining, microscopy, reactivated cell models, and cell culture. Students will learn how to use these techniques and the physical basis for these experimental methodologies.
Course Outline/Syllabus
One 6 hour laboratory session per week.
Three experimental situations will be addressed over the semester:
1)Membrane composition and organization
membrane biochemistry, protein-protein interactions, lipid-protein interactions, protein modification, SDS-PAGE, immunoblotting
2) Subcellular compartmentalization.
cell fractionation, immunofluorescence, differential centrifugation, protein assays, enzyme kinetics, SDS-PAGE, immunoblotting
3) Organelle motility
reactivation of motility in lysed cell models, protein biochemistry, ATPase assays
Text
required text: Lab Manual: Exercises in Cell Biology
C. Thaler
recommended accessory text: Cell and Molecular Biology, 2nd Edition
Gerald Karp, Wiley-Liss, NY
Course Evaluation
students will be evaluated on: % of grade
1) their performance and participation in the lab exercises 25%
2) recording keeping in the form of a lab notebook 25%
3) command of the concepts and experimental strategies 50%
in the form of an exam for each section