Instructor Manual: Gropper/Smith/Carr, Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism, c2022, 9780357449813; Chapter 1: The
Cell: A Microcosm of Life
Instructor Manual
Gropper/Smith/Carr, Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism, c2022, 9780357449813;
Chapter 1: The Cell: A Microcosm of Life
Table of Contents
Purpose and Perspective of the Chapter ................................................................................... 2
Chapter Objectives ..................................................................................................................... 2
Chapter Outline .......................................................................................................................... 2
Discussion Questions.................................................................................................................. 9
Activities and Assignments ....................................................................................................... 11
Additional Resources ............................................................................................................... 14
Internet Resources .................................................................................................................................. 14
Appendix ................................................................................................................................... 15
Standard Writing Rubric .......................................................................................................................... 15
Standard Discussion Rubric ...................................................................................................................... 16
, Instructor Manual: Gropper/Smith/Carr, Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism, c2022, 9780357449813; Chapter 1: The
Cell: A Microcosm of Life
Purpose and Perspective of the Chapter
This chapter introduces the basic functions of the human cell to serve as background as
students proceed to learn about nutrition and metabolism within the human body.
Chapter Objectives
The following objectives are addressed in this chapter:
1.1 Identify cellular components and their functions.
1.2 Describe the roles of cell receptors and enzymes.
1.3 Explain the mechanisms by which enzymatic reactions are regulated.
1.4 Discuss the need for and pathways involved in apoptosis.
1.5 Describe how energy is released and utilized in chemical reactions.
[return to top]
Chapter Outline
I. Introduction
1. This chapter provides a brief review of the basics of a cell, including cellular
components, biological energy, and an overview of a cell’s natural life span.
2. Key Terms
a. Cells—basic living, structural, and functional units of the human body
b. Eukaryotic cells—multicellular organisms
c. Prokaryotic cells—primitive cells
d. Plasma membrane—sheetlike structure that encapsulates and surrounds the
cell, allowing it to exist as a distinct unit
3. Figures and Tables
a. Figure 1.1—three-dimensional depiction of a typical mammalian liver cell
II. Components of Cells
A. Plasma Membrane
1. Sheetlike structure that encapsulates and surrounds the cell. It is asymmetrical
and considered to be a fluid structure
2. Key Terms
a. Hydrophobic—molecule or part of molecule that repels water but has strong
affinity for nonpolar substances
b. Receptors—macromolecules that bind a signal molecule with a high degree
of specificity that triggers intracellular events
,Instructor Manual: Gropper/Smith/Carr, Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism, c2022, 9780357449813; Chapter 1: The
Cell: A Microcosm of Life
c. Enzymes—protein catalysts that increase the rate of a chemical reaction in
the body
3. Figures and tables
a. Figure 1.2—lipid bilayer structure of biological membranes
b. Figure 1.3—fluid model of cell membrane. Lipids and proteins are mobile
and can move laterally in the membrane
B. Cytosol and Cytoskeleton
1. The cytoplasm includes
a. Cytosol—a gel-like liquid inside the plasma membrane but not in the nucleus
b. Cytoskeleton—made up of microtubules, intermediate filaments, and
microfilaments
2. Organelles Key Terms
a. Microtubules—hollow, cylindrical cytoskeletal structures composed of the
protein tubulin that act to support the cell structure
b. Intermediate filaments—strong, ropelike cytoskeletal fibers that are made of
protein and that function to provide mechanical stability to cells
c. Microfilaments—solid cytoskeletal structures made of a double-helix
polymer of the protein actin that play a role in cell motility
3. Microtubules, intermediate filaments, and microfilaments—make up the
cytoskeleton
4. Structural arrangement of the cell influences metabolic pathways
a. Hexose monophosphate shunt—pentose phosphate pathway
5. Figures and tables
a. Figure 1.4—the cytoskeleton provides a structure for cell organelles,
microvilli, and large molecules
C. Mitochondrion
1. Cellular organelle that is the site of energy production by oxidative
phosphorylation and the site of tricarboxylic acid cycle
2. Key terms
a. Mitochondria—primary sites of oxygen use and ATP production in cells
b. Oxidative phosphorylation—pathway in the mitochondria that makes ATP
from ADP and Pi
c. Electron transport chain—sequential transfer of electrons from reduced
coenzymes to oxygen that is coupled with ATP formation and occurs within
the mitochondria
3. Mitochondrial membrane—a double membrane that surrounds the
mitochondrial matrix; the inner membrane is less permeable than the porous
outer membrane
4. Mitochondrial matrix—the interior space in which metabolic enzyme systems
catalyze reactions of the tricarboxylic acid and fatty acid oxidation
5. Figures and tables
, Instructor Manual: Gropper/Smith/Carr, Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism, c2022, 9780357449813; Chapter 1: The
Cell: A Microcosm of Life
a. Figure 1.5—the mitochondrion
b. Figure 1.6—overview of a cross section of a mitochondrion
D. Nucleus
1. Largest organelle within the cell, regulating most cellular activities
2. Key terms
a. Nuclear envelope—composed of an inner and an outer membrane;
surrounds the cell nucleus
b. Nucleolus—region of the nucleus containing condensed chromatin and sites
for synthesizing ribosomal RNA
c. Genes—section of chromosomal DNA that codes for a single protein
d. Genome—sum of all the chromosomal genes of a cell
e. Nucleotides—phosphate esters of the 5ʹ-phosphate of a purine or pyrimidine
in N-glycosidic linkage with ribose or deoxyribose; occurs in nucleic acids
f. Complementary base pairing—pairing of nucleotide bases in two strands of
nucleic acids; A pairs with T or U, while G pairs with C
g. Replication—synthesis of a daughter duplex DNA molecule identical to the
parental duplex DNA
h. Transcription factors—auxiliary proteins that bind to specific sites in the DNA
and alter the transcription of nearby genes
i. Sense strand—the strand of DNA that serves as a template for mRNA
j. Introns—noncoding regions of a gene
k. Exons—coding regions of a gene
l. Anticodons—three-base sequences of nucleotides within transfer RNA
molecules
m. Elongation—extension of the polypeptide chain of the protein product during
protein synthesis
n. Signal transduction—cascade of events that leads to translocation of a
transcription factor into the nucleus
o. Translocation—movement of a transcription factor into the nucleus, where it
can bind to DNA
p. MicroRNAs—small noncoding RNAs that silence gene expression by binding
to mRNA to inhibit its translation and/or promote its degradation
3. Nucleic acids—macromolecules of nucleotides; consist of a nitrogenous core, a
pentose sugar, and a phosphate
4. Cell replication—synthesis of daughter DNA identical to the parental DNA
5. Transcription—taking genetic information in a single strand of DNA and making
a specific sequence of bases in a messenger RNA chain
6. Translation—process by which genetic information in an mRNA molecule is
turned into the sequence of amino acids in the protein
7. Control of gene expression—controlled through transcription, processing-level
control mechanisms determine the path by which mRNA is translated into
Cell: A Microcosm of Life
Instructor Manual
Gropper/Smith/Carr, Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism, c2022, 9780357449813;
Chapter 1: The Cell: A Microcosm of Life
Table of Contents
Purpose and Perspective of the Chapter ................................................................................... 2
Chapter Objectives ..................................................................................................................... 2
Chapter Outline .......................................................................................................................... 2
Discussion Questions.................................................................................................................. 9
Activities and Assignments ....................................................................................................... 11
Additional Resources ............................................................................................................... 14
Internet Resources .................................................................................................................................. 14
Appendix ................................................................................................................................... 15
Standard Writing Rubric .......................................................................................................................... 15
Standard Discussion Rubric ...................................................................................................................... 16
, Instructor Manual: Gropper/Smith/Carr, Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism, c2022, 9780357449813; Chapter 1: The
Cell: A Microcosm of Life
Purpose and Perspective of the Chapter
This chapter introduces the basic functions of the human cell to serve as background as
students proceed to learn about nutrition and metabolism within the human body.
Chapter Objectives
The following objectives are addressed in this chapter:
1.1 Identify cellular components and their functions.
1.2 Describe the roles of cell receptors and enzymes.
1.3 Explain the mechanisms by which enzymatic reactions are regulated.
1.4 Discuss the need for and pathways involved in apoptosis.
1.5 Describe how energy is released and utilized in chemical reactions.
[return to top]
Chapter Outline
I. Introduction
1. This chapter provides a brief review of the basics of a cell, including cellular
components, biological energy, and an overview of a cell’s natural life span.
2. Key Terms
a. Cells—basic living, structural, and functional units of the human body
b. Eukaryotic cells—multicellular organisms
c. Prokaryotic cells—primitive cells
d. Plasma membrane—sheetlike structure that encapsulates and surrounds the
cell, allowing it to exist as a distinct unit
3. Figures and Tables
a. Figure 1.1—three-dimensional depiction of a typical mammalian liver cell
II. Components of Cells
A. Plasma Membrane
1. Sheetlike structure that encapsulates and surrounds the cell. It is asymmetrical
and considered to be a fluid structure
2. Key Terms
a. Hydrophobic—molecule or part of molecule that repels water but has strong
affinity for nonpolar substances
b. Receptors—macromolecules that bind a signal molecule with a high degree
of specificity that triggers intracellular events
,Instructor Manual: Gropper/Smith/Carr, Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism, c2022, 9780357449813; Chapter 1: The
Cell: A Microcosm of Life
c. Enzymes—protein catalysts that increase the rate of a chemical reaction in
the body
3. Figures and tables
a. Figure 1.2—lipid bilayer structure of biological membranes
b. Figure 1.3—fluid model of cell membrane. Lipids and proteins are mobile
and can move laterally in the membrane
B. Cytosol and Cytoskeleton
1. The cytoplasm includes
a. Cytosol—a gel-like liquid inside the plasma membrane but not in the nucleus
b. Cytoskeleton—made up of microtubules, intermediate filaments, and
microfilaments
2. Organelles Key Terms
a. Microtubules—hollow, cylindrical cytoskeletal structures composed of the
protein tubulin that act to support the cell structure
b. Intermediate filaments—strong, ropelike cytoskeletal fibers that are made of
protein and that function to provide mechanical stability to cells
c. Microfilaments—solid cytoskeletal structures made of a double-helix
polymer of the protein actin that play a role in cell motility
3. Microtubules, intermediate filaments, and microfilaments—make up the
cytoskeleton
4. Structural arrangement of the cell influences metabolic pathways
a. Hexose monophosphate shunt—pentose phosphate pathway
5. Figures and tables
a. Figure 1.4—the cytoskeleton provides a structure for cell organelles,
microvilli, and large molecules
C. Mitochondrion
1. Cellular organelle that is the site of energy production by oxidative
phosphorylation and the site of tricarboxylic acid cycle
2. Key terms
a. Mitochondria—primary sites of oxygen use and ATP production in cells
b. Oxidative phosphorylation—pathway in the mitochondria that makes ATP
from ADP and Pi
c. Electron transport chain—sequential transfer of electrons from reduced
coenzymes to oxygen that is coupled with ATP formation and occurs within
the mitochondria
3. Mitochondrial membrane—a double membrane that surrounds the
mitochondrial matrix; the inner membrane is less permeable than the porous
outer membrane
4. Mitochondrial matrix—the interior space in which metabolic enzyme systems
catalyze reactions of the tricarboxylic acid and fatty acid oxidation
5. Figures and tables
, Instructor Manual: Gropper/Smith/Carr, Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism, c2022, 9780357449813; Chapter 1: The
Cell: A Microcosm of Life
a. Figure 1.5—the mitochondrion
b. Figure 1.6—overview of a cross section of a mitochondrion
D. Nucleus
1. Largest organelle within the cell, regulating most cellular activities
2. Key terms
a. Nuclear envelope—composed of an inner and an outer membrane;
surrounds the cell nucleus
b. Nucleolus—region of the nucleus containing condensed chromatin and sites
for synthesizing ribosomal RNA
c. Genes—section of chromosomal DNA that codes for a single protein
d. Genome—sum of all the chromosomal genes of a cell
e. Nucleotides—phosphate esters of the 5ʹ-phosphate of a purine or pyrimidine
in N-glycosidic linkage with ribose or deoxyribose; occurs in nucleic acids
f. Complementary base pairing—pairing of nucleotide bases in two strands of
nucleic acids; A pairs with T or U, while G pairs with C
g. Replication—synthesis of a daughter duplex DNA molecule identical to the
parental duplex DNA
h. Transcription factors—auxiliary proteins that bind to specific sites in the DNA
and alter the transcription of nearby genes
i. Sense strand—the strand of DNA that serves as a template for mRNA
j. Introns—noncoding regions of a gene
k. Exons—coding regions of a gene
l. Anticodons—three-base sequences of nucleotides within transfer RNA
molecules
m. Elongation—extension of the polypeptide chain of the protein product during
protein synthesis
n. Signal transduction—cascade of events that leads to translocation of a
transcription factor into the nucleus
o. Translocation—movement of a transcription factor into the nucleus, where it
can bind to DNA
p. MicroRNAs—small noncoding RNAs that silence gene expression by binding
to mRNA to inhibit its translation and/or promote its degradation
3. Nucleic acids—macromolecules of nucleotides; consist of a nitrogenous core, a
pentose sugar, and a phosphate
4. Cell replication—synthesis of daughter DNA identical to the parental DNA
5. Transcription—taking genetic information in a single strand of DNA and making
a specific sequence of bases in a messenger RNA chain
6. Translation—process by which genetic information in an mRNA molecule is
turned into the sequence of amino acids in the protein
7. Control of gene expression—controlled through transcription, processing-level
control mechanisms determine the path by which mRNA is translated into
