Objectives for Chapters 6-12

Chapter 6 - A Tour of the Cell
Chapter 7 - Membrane Structure & Function
Chapter 8 - An Introduction to Metabolism
Chapter 9 - Cellular Respiration
Chapter 10 - Photosynthesis
Chapter 12 - Reproduction of Cells

Chapter 7 Objectives

After reading this chapter and attending lecture, you should be able to:

Describe the function of the plasmamembrane
Describe the fluid mosaic model of membrane structure
    Explain how hydrophobic interactions determine membrane structure and function
    Describe how proteins are arranged in membranes and how they contribute to membrane functioning
    Describe those factors which affect membrane permeability
Define diffusion; explain what causes it and why it's a spontaneous process
Explain passive transport and the factors that regulate its rate
Expalin why a concentration gradient across a membrane represents potential energy
Define osmosis and be able to predict the direction of water movement based upon differences in solute concentration
Explain how transport proteins are similar to enzymes
    Provide a general description of the process of facilitated diffusion
Explain how active transport differs from diffusion
Explain the mechanisms by which a membrane potential or electrochemical gradient may be established
Explain (in very general terms) how potential energy stored as electrochemical gradients is used to transport substances across the membrane
Explain how very large molecules are transported across the cell membrane

Chapter 8 Objectives

After reading this chapter and attending classes discussing these ideas, you should be able to:

Compare and contrast the role of catabolic and anabolic pathways in the energy exchanges of cell metabolism
Distinguish between kinetic and potential energy
Distinguish between open and closed systems
Explain the general meanings of the first two Laws of Thermodynamics
Explain why highly ordered living organisms are not a violation of the Second Law of Thermodynamics
Distinguish between exergonic and endergonic reactions
Describe the relationship between equilibrium and the free energy change for a reaction
Describe the general function of ATP in a cell
List the three separate components of ATP and indicate to which class of macromolecules it belongs
Explain generally how ATP performs cellular work
Describe the energy profile of a typical chemical reaction; include activation energy, free energy and transition state in your description
Outline the general function of enzymes in biological systems
Explain the relationship between enzyme structure and enzyme specificity
Describe at least one mechanism by which enzymes lower activation energy
Explain how changing a substrate's concentration affects the overall rate of an enzyme-controlled reaction
Explain in general terms the relationship of each of the following to enzyme activity: general environmental factors such as temperature, cofactors, enzyme inhibitors and allosteric regulators

Chapter 9 Objectives

After reading this chapter and attending lecture, you should be able to:

Construct a general diagram of energy flow through the biosphere
Write the overall summary equation for cellular respiration
Explain in general terms how exergonic oxidation of glucose is coupled to endergonic synthesis of ATP
Define oxidation and reduction and explain how redox reactions are involved in energy exchanges
Describe the role of ATP in coupled reactions
Explain why ATP is required for the preparatory reactions of glycolysis
Generally describe how the carbon skeleton of glucose changes during glycolysis
Write a summary equation for glycolysis and describe where it occurs in the cell
Describe where pyruvate is oxidized to acetyl CoA, what molecules are produced and how it links glycolysis to the Krebs cycle
Identify the location where the reactions of the Krebs cycle take place
List the molecules which enter and those which are produced by the Krebs cycle
Explain at what point in cellular respiration that glucose is completely oxidized
Explain (in very general terms) how the exergonic slide of electrons down the electron transport chain is coupled to the endergonic production of ATP
Summarize the net ATP yield from the oxidation of a glucose molecule by constructing an ATP ledger which includes the various stages of the overall process
Describe the fate of pyruvate in the absence of oxygen
Distinguish between aerobic and anaerobic metabolism

Chapter 10 Objectives

After reading this chapter and attending lecture, you should be able to:

Compare heterotrophic and autotrophic nutrition
Distinguish between photosynthetic and chemosynthetic autotrophs
Describe the location and structure of the chloroplast
Write a summary equation for photosynthesis
Explain the role of redox reactions in photosynthesis
    Explain what happens when chlorophyll or an accessory pigment absorbs photons
Describe the wave-like and particle-like behaviors of light
    Distinguish between an absorption spectrum and an action spectrum
    Indicate which wavelengths of light are most effective for photosynthesis
List the main components of a photosystem and describe their functions
Trace elctron flow through photosystems II and I
Compare cyclic and noncyclic electron flow and explain the relationship between the two
Summarize the light equations with an equation
Summarize the carbon-fixing reactions of the Calvin cycle
Describe the roles of ATP and NADPH in the Calvin cycle
Describe the general fate of photosynthetic products

Chapter 12 Objectives

After reading this chapter and attending lecture, you should be able to:

Define "genome" and state what major events must occur during cell division for the entire genome to be passed on to daughter cells
Describe the process of binary fission in prokaryotes
Generally describe the composition of chromosomes and indicate how their structures change in anticipation of a cell division
Using humans as an example of a diploid organism, explain how chromosome number changes during the life cycle of such an organism
List the phases of the cell cycle and describe the general sequence of events that takes place in each phase
Distinguish between interphase and mitosis
List the phases of mitosis and describe the events characteristic of each phase
Recognize the phases of mitosis from diagrams or micrographs
Draw and describe the spindle apparatus of a dividing cell
Explain how abnormal cell division of cancerous cells differs from normal cell division

Chapter 6 Objectives

After reading this chapter and attending lecture, you should be able to:

Distinguish between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells
Explain why there are upper and lower limits to cell size
Explain the function of compartmentalization in eukaryotic cells
Describe the structure and function of the nucleus
Describe the structure and function of the eukaryotic ribosome
List the components of the endomembrane system, describe their structures and functions
and summarize the relationships among them
Describe the types of vacuoles and how their functions differ
Explain the role of peroxisomes in eukaryotic cells
Describe the structure of a typical mitochondrion, detail its function and explain how
compartmentaliztion in the mitochondrion is important to this function
Explain the structure and functioning of the chloroplast
Describe the functions of the cytoskeleton and distinguish among microtubules, microfilaments and intermediate filaments
Describe the ultrastructure of flagella and cilia and briefly summarize the relationship between
this structure and their functioning