Key facts

Type	Weekly Classes
Location	Maidenhead
Address	Methodist Church Allenby Road Maidenhead SL6 5BQ
Dates	Mon 24 Sep to Mon 3 Dec 2012 Day: Monday Time of meeting: 10.30am-12.30pm Number of meetings: 10
Subject area(s)	Biological Sciences
CATS points	10
Fees	From £145.00
Application status	Course ended
Course code	E12P558BIW
Course contact	If you have any questions about this course, please email ppweekly@conted.ox.ac.uk.

Overview

Each microscopic cell within our body accomplishes daily activity that would require several vast factories to do similar processes in our external world. We will look at how cells function & how they form tissues such as intestine, blood and the brain.

Description

Inside each cell of the human body there is a fascinating world of activity. Furthermore each human is composed of billions of cells; the brain alone is thought to contain 500 billion neurons. Cells have the capacity to grow, repair, and many can divide to form new cells. Cells come in many shapes and sizes according to their specific functions. A red blood cell for example is specially shaped to slip through blood vessels and carry oxygen. A minute defect leads to a disorder such as sickle cell anaemia. Groups of specialised cells form tissues, such as brain, intestine, and muscle. Numerous chemical messengers move between cells to help coordinate the activity of each tissue. In this course we look at the structure of basic cells and the ways in which that structure is modified for specific functions. Examples of cell and tissues will come from the nervous system, blood and intestine. Ways in which tissues go wrong such as in cancer will be included.

Programme details

Week 1: What is a biologial cell? Organelles and cytoplasm. Microscopes.
Week 2: Cell membranes and receptors. How are things transported in and out of cells?
Week 3: Mitochondria and energy for cells. Microscopes again.
Week 4: Repair and growth of cells. The cell nucleus, DNA and Protein synthesis.
Week 5: Shapes of cells. Transport within cells. How do some cells move? Microscopes
Week 6: Skin
Week 7: Waste disposal systems. Death of cells such as seen in stroke.
Week 8: Cells of Blood. Blood vessels, brief introductionto stem cells. Sickle cell anaemia.
Week 9: Cells and tissues of the intestine. Structure reflects function
Week 10: Some aspects of how cells and tissues go wrong such as in cancer.
Feedback from participants.


Background Reading:
Alberts, B et al, Essential Cell Biology
Alberts, B et al, Molecular biology of the cell (new edition should appear soon)
Becker, WM et al, The World of the Cell (5th edition)
Harold, FM, The Way of the cell:molecules, organisms & the order of life
Niehoff, D, The language of life: How cells communicate in health and disease

Staff

Course aims

Course Aim:
The aim of the course is to explore some aspects of the mechanisms by which human cells communicate, behave, grow and die as well as how they are organised to form such tissues as brain, intestine and blood.

Course Objectives:

To have gained knowledge of the organelles and structures within cells.
To have understanding of how cells are organised into tissues.
To have had hands on experience in the use of a basic light microscope.
To have gained understanding of this subject from scientific journals and the internet.

Assessment methods

Students will be encouraged to submit coursework for assessment. Assignments can be either a single piece of work of approximately 1000 words, based on some topic covered in the course, or three short pieces of work of approximately 330 words each. Coursework can contain diagrams and should be referenced. The tutor will give further information on coursework during the course.

Teaching methods

There will be group discussion, more formal lecture material with lecture notes as well as video clips, animated diagrams and one or two practical sessions with model building and microscopes involving participation of students if they wish.

Teaching outcomes

By the end of the course student can expect to:
have knowledge and understanding of the main characteristics of cell structure and function
be able to identify the special characteristics of cells forming tissues
to have acquired knowledge from course sessions, practical work with a microscope and background reading

Fee options

Programme Fee

EU Fee: £145.00

Non-EU Fee: £145.00

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