The earlier version of this book was Cell Biology ,first published in 1979. In the present book. Molecular Cell Biology, the pattern of the chapter is the same, but they have been regrouped into eight units. Cell Biology still remains an integrated discipline, covering Cytology, Cytogenetics, Cell Physiology , Biochemistry and Biophysics. The emphasis has, however, shifted to a molecular viewpoint of these fields. The earlier approach of visualizing the cell as an organized collection of interacting molecules has been maintained and emphasized.
A historical perspective of the development of science helps the student to appreciate the evolution of the basic principles, and is also motivational. This has been implemented in the present book by the inclusion of he great breakthrough experiments that advanced the biological sciences. However , space restrictions have made it necessary to give only the principles of many experiments. A chronological summary of the major discoveries in the topic concerned has been given at the beginning of each chapter.
The earlier phase of the discovery of many scientific principles is characterized by proposing models. These represented the state of knowledge of the subject that time . Many such models have been included in this book, with the rider to the student that these are not necessarily the final views on the subject. However, proposing of models is still an integral part of the discovery process.
Contents –
Unit I – Cell Chemistry
Unit II – The Nucleus
Unit III- The Cell Surface
Unit IV – Intracellular Membrane Compartments
Unit V- Energy Flow in Cells
Unit VI- Flow of Genetic Information
Unit VII- Cellular Reproduction
Unit VIII- Special Topics in Cell Biology
Index
