Biology 205, Cell Biology Lab

Course Time: Wednesday, 1:00 – 3:50 PM

Room: BOND 323

Instructor: Dr. Kathy Zanin

Office: Duckett Hall 318

Phone: 953-7077

Email: zaninm1@citadel.edu

Office Hours: W, 11:00 – 12:30; T/R, 10:00 – 11:30

Course Objectives:

In this lab you will gain first hand experience with techniques commonly used in cell biological research including quantitative microscopy, histochemistry, spectrophotometry, cell fractionation and centrifugation, organelle isolation, enzyme assays, and protein electrophoresis.

Co-requisite:

Biology 205 (Cell Biology)

Assignments:

• Lab procedures will be distributed one week prior to each lab period. Punch three holes, insert them into your lab binder, and study each lab BEFORE you come in. I also plan to have these lab protocol posted on WebCT; to access them electronically, simply log on to WebCT and follow the links to this course and to the lab protocols.
• Homework assignments posted on WebCT are to assist you in preparing for the upcoming lab

Recommended Text:

Cell and Molecular Biology, 4^th edition, by Gerald Karp

Required Supplies:

• Three-Ring Binder with lab procedures and blank loose leaf paper inserted
• Permanent Marker for labeling tubes, etc. (Sharpie is the best)
• Watch with a second hand or stop watch

How to do well in this lab:

This is an upper division lab. I expect you to come to lab prepared, work hard, and actively participate in the experiments. Attendance at labs is required. Since it is difficult to prep the labs again, you will need a valid, approved excuse before I will let you make up a lab. A good way to come to lab prepared is to make a flow chart in your notebook detailing how you will run through the lab. This is especially important in some of the later labs, where we will be running gels and isolating cell fractions. These labs have several steps, so you need to be organized.

Grading:

Grades for this course are determined from lab reports and exams. There may be unannounced quizzes throughout the semester if students are coming to lab unprepared.

Single lab reports (70 total points). Reports demonstrate your completion and understanding of the lab material. Lab reports are due at the beginning of the following lab and are worth 10 points each. There is a 5-point penalty, per day, for late reports.

Big Lab report (40 points). The report for Labs 7-10. Details will be in the lab procedures. This report is due at the beginning of Lab 11 and is also subject to the 5-point per day late penalty.

Powerpoint presentation (20 points). For Lab 12, you will make a 10 minute presentation on a topic in cell biology based on the primary research literature. Details on this project are in the lab procedure. You must select your paper and get it approved during LAB 9.

Lab FINAL EXAM (50 points). The cumulative lab final will test your understanding of labs by asking you to design experiments and analyze results. You will NOT do well on the exam if you routinely come to lab unprepared and let your lab partner do all the work.

Grades:

Your final grade is determined as a percentage of the 180 total points as follows:

A 92-100%

B+ 87-91

B 80-86

C+ 76-79

C 70-75

D 60-69

F 0-59

Date	Topic	Report Due
9/1	Lab 1- Introduction to the Lab: How to Use Lab Equipment and Prepare Solutions
9/8	Lab 2- Membrane Permeability	Lab 1
9/15	Lab 3- Histochemistry	Lab 2
9/22	Lab 4- Spectrophotometry of DNA and RNA	Lab 3
9/29	Lab 5- Enzyme activity in Mitochondria	Lab 4
10/6	Lab 6- Photosynthesis in Chloroplasts	Lab 5
10/13	Lab 7- Cell Fractionation	Lab 6
10/20	Lab 8- Gel Electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE)
10/27	Lab 9- Western Blots
11/3	Lab 10- Analyzing results of Labs 7-9
11/10	Lab 11- Mitosis	Labs 7-10
11/17	Lab 12- Powerpoint presentations	Lab 11
12/1	FINAL EXAM (Comprehensive)