Cytoskeleton
The cytoplasm of all eukaryotic cells is crisscrossed by a network of protein fibers that supports the shape of the cell and anchors organelles to fixed locations. This network, called…
Chromosomes
Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM): (database of human genetic diseases and genetic variants) See also DNA Introduction/Definitions: When defining the number of chromosomes necessary to define a species, geneticits count…
Voltage gated channels
The plasma membrane of all electrically excitable cells such as neurons contain voltage gated cation channels which are responsible for generating an action potential which is a traveling wave of electrical excitation. An action…
Transmembrane transport proteins
Introduction: Cell membranes are not permeable to all molecules. Small molecules like oxygen and carbon dioxide diffuse rapidly across membranes. Small uncharged polar molecules like water or urea diffuse more…
Cell membranes
Cell membranes consist of a continuous double layer of lipid molecules in which membrane proteins are embedded. Lipids constitute about 50% of the mass of most animal cell membranes with…
Cell cycle control
See also the Cell Cycle See also Cancer Disease Mechanisms See also signal transduction Controling the process of cell division is critical. Loss of this control can lead to cancer. The…
Cell cycle
See also cell cycle control Introduction/Definitions: Progression through the cell cycle requires the coordination of variety of macromolecular syntheses, assemblies and movements. The chromosomes must be replicated, condensed, segregated, and…
Caspases
The caspases, comprising a family of cysteine proteases, have been firmly established as major mediators of the execution phase of apoptosis. While most of the known CASPs are involved in…
Activation of apoptosis
Pathways for apoptosis induction or inhibition originate from both extrinsic and intrinsic signalling systems. Extrinsic Activation of Apoptosis:The extrinsic pathway is initiated by ligand binding to cell surface death receptor,…
Apoptosis
Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, is a process fundamental to the normal development and homeostasis of multicellular organisms. Deregulation of programmed cell death leads to a number of human diseases, including…