Impact of Research in Cell Biology

What are 5 examples of research projects in cell

biology?• Stop development of cancers• Regenerate nerve cells to repair spinal cord

injuries• Develop vaccines to prevent diseases• Prepare to stop the spread of infectious diseases

not known yet• Increase world food production• Discover biological tools to clean up pollution

What is the relationship between cancerous cells and a tumor?

• Cancer is a disease related to the uncontrolled and rapid reproduction of cells through cell division

• Cancerous cells continue to reproduce instead of carrying out their function

• This results in a tumour • A tumour is a mass of cells that keep dividing

What is cell researchers goal?

• How to turn off non-stop reproduction of cancer cells

• How to destroy tumors• Find out why the process begins

Repairing Damaged Nerve Cells

• The spinal cord is like a highway of messages• Damage in the spinal cord that severs it can

result in a loss of information from the senses and instructing muscles to move

• Paralysis is the inability to move

Helping People with Spinal Injuries

• We have many ways to make people with paralysis better lives: wheelchairs, access

• Cell Biologists are working on regenerating the damaged cells

• Working towards finding ways to trigger the cells to repair themselves

Preparing for Infectious Diseases

• We understand and have stopped the spread of diseases like smallpox, polio, measles, TB

• New bacteria and viruses adapt to create new diseases

• Researches study how diseases are transmitted to other people

Stopping the Spread of Infectious Diseases• Before cell biology (microscopes) scientists knew

that disease could be transmitted through physical contact

• Quarantines are enforced periods of isolation for individuals exposed to an illness

• Should people in the area where the new disease has been found be allowed to leave?

Improving World Food Production

• Cell biologists change plants so they can grow in different conditions

• Modify plant cells to improve resistance to insects and chemicals

• Change plants to increase their nutritional value – e.g. inserting genes from beans to rice to increase iron

• Controversial – many people do not like this branch of cell biology

Improving World Food Production

• Cell biologists change plants so they can grow in different conditions

• Modify plant cells to improve resistance to insects and chemicals

• Change plants to increase their nutritional value – e.g. inserting genes from beans to rice to increase iron

• Controversial – many people do not like this branch of cell biology

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKm2Ch3-Myg

• Page 78 – paragraph response to the questions