Cell Biology

The fundamental life processes of plants and animals depend on a variety of chemical
reactions that occur in specialized areas of the organism’s cells. As a basis for
understanding this concept:
a. Students know cells are enclosed within semipermeable membranes that regulate
their interaction with their surroundings.
b. Students know enzymes are proteins that catalyze biochemical reactions without
altering the reaction equilibrium and the activities of enzymes depend on the
temperature, ionic conditions, and the pH of the surroundings.
c. Students know how prokaryotic cells, eukaryotic cells (including those from
plants and animals), and viruses differ in complexity and general structure.
d. Students know the central dogma of molecular biology outlines the flow of information
from transcription of ribonucleic acid (RNA) in the nucleus to translation
of proteins on ribosomes in the cytoplasm.
e. Students know the role of the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus in the
secretion of proteins.
f. Students know usable energy is captured from sunlight by chloroplasts and is
stored through the synthesis of sugar from carbon dioxide.
g. Students know the role of the mitochondria in making stored chemical-bond
energy available to cells by completing the breakdown of glucose to carbon
dioxide.

h. Students know most macromolecules (polysaccharides, nucleic acids, proteins,
lipids) in cells and organisms are synthesized from a small collection of simple
precursors.
i.* Students know how chemiosmotic gradients in the mitochondria and chloroplast
store energy for ATP production.
j* Students know how eukaryotic cells are given shape and internal organization by
a cytoskeleton or cell wall or both.