Cell biology promotes the study of the cell in order to have a deeper understanding of the tissues, organs, and organisms that cells compose. In this way, the complexities that lie in all living systems whether big or small are discovered. This Module glances over the history of cell biology and all pioneers who have contributed to the study of cells. Module explains the defining characters of biological life and makes the students identify different kinds of cells that make up different kinds of organisms.

Our natural world originated the principle of “form following function”, especially in cell biology, and this will become clear as we explore eukaryotic cells. It has a number of membrane-bound organelles. The word “organelle” means “little organ,” and organelles have specialized cellular functions, just as the organs of your body have specialized functions. A wide range of different organelles has evolved over millions of years to do various roles within cells. This module takes the students on a journey inside the cell.

The study of cell communication focuses on how a cell gives and receives messages with its environment and with itself. Indeed, cells do not live in isolation. Their survival depends on receiving and processing information from the outside environment, whether that information pertains to the availability of nutrients, changes in temperature, or variations in light levels. Cells can also communicate directly with one another — and change their own internal workings in response — by way of a variety of chemical and mechanical signals. Cell division involves a series of events leading to the formation of daughter cells, an important step in the formation of multicellular organism. Through this module students should be able to explain why cells divide and list what occurs during each phase of mitosis.