Introduction to human cells

Why this matters

Enamel, dentin, pulp, oral epithelium, periodontal ligament, bone and saliva are produced or maintained by specialized cells. Understanding the normal cell makes later pathology, pharmacology, genetics and tissue healing easier.

The big picture

1 The membrane creates a controlled internal environment. 2 DNA stores instructions; gene expression selects which are used. 3 Organelles divide the work into efficient compartments. 4 The resulting structure and protein profile give the cell its identity.

You will be able to

1. 1.Distinguish prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisation.
2. 2.Identify the main parts of a human cell.
3. 3.Link organelle structure to its principal function.
4. 4.Explain differentiation and the two defining stem-cell properties.
5. 5.Select light or electron microscopy for a simple task.
6. 6.Apply cell biology to common dental cell types.

The 12 cards in this lesson

1. 01Cells are the body's basic working units
2. 02Prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells organise life differently
3. 03A human cell is a coordinated system
4. 04The nucleus connects cell biology with genetics
5. 05Mitochondria convert nutrient energy into usable ATP
6. 06Secreted proteins follow a cellular production line
7. 07Lysosomes recycle; peroxisomes oxidise and protect
8. 08The membrane controls the border; the cytoskeleton organises the inside
9. 09Differentiation makes specialised cells from shared instructions
10. 10Stem cells renew themselves and generate specialised descendants
11. 11Choose the microscope by the question
12. 12Predict the organelles from the job

You have got it when

You are ready to continue when you can look at an unfamiliar cell, predict which organelles should be abundant, and explain the prediction using function.