BIO 121 Lab Introduction and Cell Biology Flashcards

Laboratory Safety Regulations and Protocols

Cadaver Room Regulations:
- Access is strictly restricted to BIO 121 and BIO 122 students currently enrolled in sections requiring the cadaver lab.
- Entry is through a key-coded door accessible exclusively by course instructors.
- Cadavers are preserved human bodies donated to science and must be treated with the utmost respect.
- Absolutely no photography or video recording is permitted inside the cadaver facility.
- Cell phones are forbidden in the cadaver room and must be left in the main classroom.
- No outside guests or students from other classes are permitted inside under any circumstances.
- Access is granted only after signing and returning the official Safety and Procedures agreement document.
- Any violation of cadaver lab rules results in immediate dismissal from the course with an automatic failing grade ( $F$ ).
General Laboratory Rules and Hygiene:
- Food and drinks are strictly prohibited in the laboratory at all times. Items must be stored in bags or consumed outside the room.
- Equipment must be used solely for its intended design. Practical jokes, disruptive behavior, and improper handling are forbidden.
- Workspaces must be cleaned thoroughly at the conclusion of each lab session.
- All $25$ laboratory chairs must be tucked neatly under the tables at the end of class to keep pathways clear and prevent tripping hazards.
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including safety gloves and goggles, is provided for specific labs involving chemicals or wet specimens.
- Long hair must be secured with hair ties to prevent contact with biological specimens, formalin, or chemicals. Dangling jewelry and loose clothing must be tied back or removed.
Chemical Handling and Emergency Equipment:
- Ingestion, tasting, or direct smelling/inhalation of chemical fumes is strictly prohibited.
- Chemicals and biological specimens must never be removed from the laboratory room due to biohazard disposal regulations.
- Spilled chemicals or broken glassware must be reported to the instructor immediately for correct remediation.
- If chemicals contact the skin or eyes, or if experiencing dizziness or nausea, notify the instructor immediately.
- An emergency shower and eyewash station are located through the designated lab room door.
Fainting and Physical Distress Protocols:
- Fainting is a common occurrence during initial cadaver exposure or as a result of inadequate nutrition/hydration.
- At the onset of faintness or dizziness, inform tablemates and the instructor immediately.
- The safest position when feeling faint is laying completely flat on the floor to prevent head trauma caused by falling against table edges.
- Students experiencing urgent medical needs or family emergencies (e.g., calls from a child's school) may step out quietly without public disruption.
First Aid and Emergency Procedures:
- A First Aid kit containing Band-Aids, Tylenol, and basic medical supplies is accessible in the main classroom.
- Fire Emergency: For minor fires on clothing or tables, use the classroom fire extinguisher. For major fires, pull the fire alarm, exit through the main lab doors, proceed down the staircase, and evacuate the building.
- Tornado Protocol: Proceed down to the lowest floor and shelter in place within the center-most section of the building.
- Active Shooter Protocol: Alert the instructor upon receiving a GRCC safety notification. Barricade classroom doors and shelter in place. If caught in the open, follow the sequence: Hide, Flee (Run away), and Fight collectively as a last resort.
- Campus Safety Alerts: Stop all classroom activity immediately upon receiving official emergency notifications.
- ICE Campus Protocol: If ICE is present on campus, the instructor will leave keys, exit the room, lock/close the doors, and address officers directly without disclosing student identities or classroom rosters.

Course Structure, Grading, and Academic Policies

Course Sequence and Scope:
- BIO 121 is the first semester of a two-semester Human Anatomy and Physiology sequence.
- BIO 121 covers foundational concepts, cellular biology, histology, and body systems up through the nervous system.
- BIO 122 covers the endocrine system through all remaining body systems.
- Weekly time commitments require $3$ hours of lecture and $2$ hours of laboratory work.
- Recommended background skills include high school chemistry (grade $C$ or better) or CHM 100, though formal prerequisites are not enforced.
Grading Mechanics and Weighting:
- The laboratory portion constitutes $30\%$ of the overall course grade, while the lecture portion constitutes $70\%$ : $\text{Overall Grade} = (0.30 \times \text{Lab Percentage}) + (0.70 \times \text{Lecture Percentage})$
- The lab score is transmitted to the lecture instructor as a raw percentage at the end of the term.
- Students do not need to pass lab and lecture independently; the combined cumulative score determines course passage.
- Allied Health programs require a final course grade of $C$ ( $73\%$ ) or higher for admission.
- No grade curving or extra credit is offered under any circumstances.
- All laboratory exams are administered in-person on Canvas and feature practical-style identification questions using physical models, slides, or diagrams.
Two-Strike Policy:
- Allied Health admissions enforce a strict two-attempt limit for BIO 121.
- Remaining enrolled past $3$ weeks counts as an official course attempt.
- BIO 121 is the most retaken biology course and ranks among the top $5$ most retaken courses across the entire college.
Technology and Institutional Policies:
- Official communication is conducted via Canvas or official student email accounts.
- Microsoft Office 365 is available free to all enrolled students.
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used for supplementary studying, but answers must be verified against course textbooks; incorrect exam answers derived from AI will receive zero credit.
- Laptops and tablets are permitted strictly for course-related work; playing video games or engaging in non-class activities is prohibited.
- Students requiring academic accommodations must register through Disability Support Services (DSS) before any adjustments can be implemented by the instructor.
- Free tutoring, study skill workshops, and time-management resources are provided by the Biological Sciences Learning Center (BTLC) and Academic Support Services.

Study Strategies and Software Tools

Student Learning Approach:
- Lab time requires self-directed study rather than following a step-by-step experiment procedure.
- Daily study routine: Dedicate a minimum of $15$ minutes every day to reviewing laboratory material.
- Group studying, physical model manipulation, and utilizing BTLC resources significantly correlate with higher academic success.
Anatomy & Physiology Revealed (APR) Workflow:
- APR is an online study platform accessible via McGraw Hill Connect (access codes are valid for $540$ days from purchase).
- Enter the unique, case-sensitive course code under "My Course Content" -> "Add/Delete a List" to filter terms down to required course-specific terminology.
- Study varied diagram views, toggle highlight colors, and practice identifying structures marked with arrows or pointers rather than relying on color highlighting alone.
- Progressive Quiz Difficulty Ladder:
1. Multiple Choice Mode: Identifies structures among given choices; ideal for initial familiarity (e.g., $183$ practice questions available for body orientation).
2. Click to Identify Mode: Requires selecting the exact spatial region on an image.
3. Lab Practical Mode: Highest difficulty level; requires typing the exact anatomical name without word prompts, directly mirroring exam conditions.
Spelling Requirement:
- Anatomical terms must be spelled with absolute accuracy on practical exams.
- Spelling errors result in partial or total point deductions.
- Hand-writing terms repeatedly on paper during study sessions is recommended to build muscle memory for correct spelling.

Cellular Structure and Organelle Function

Core Principle of Anatomy & Physiology:
- Structure dictates function: The physical arrangement and anatomy of a biological structure directly determine its functional capacity. Any alteration to structure impairs function.
Primary Cellular Components:
- All somatic cells consist of three primary components: the cell membrane (plasma membrane), cytoplasm, and nucleus.
Detailed Organelle Breakdown:
- Cell / Plasma Membrane:
- Formed by a phospholipid bilayer containing polar (hydrophilic) heads and nonpolar (hydrophobic) tails.
- Contains embedded transmembrane proteins and peripheral extracellular proteins.
- Regulates passage of substances between intracellular (interior) and extracellular (exterior) environments.
- Designated with an asterisk ($*$) in Student Learning Objectives (SPO) guides, requiring visual identification on microscope slides.
- Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER):
- Network of membranous channels involved in intracellular transport and molecular packaging.
- Rough ER: Studded with embedded ribosomes; specializes in protein synthesis, modification, and transport.
- Smooth ER: Lacks ribosomes; specializes in lipid synthesis and metabolic processing.
- Ribosomes:
- Non-membrane-bound structures responsible for protein synthesis.
- Found attached to the Rough ER or floating freely within the cytoplasm; translate genetic instructions from the nucleus into proteins.
- Golgi Apparatus (GA):
- Stacked, flattened membranous sacs that receive, modify, sort, and package proteins, enzymes, and lipids.
- Packages molecules into vesicles for intracellular transport, exocytosis (secretion outside the cell), or endocytosis handling.
- Synthesizes lysosomes.
- Lysosomes:
- Membrane-bound vesicles produced by the Golgi apparatus containing digestive enzymes.
- Breakdown cellular waste, foreign debris, and macromolecular structures.
- Peroxisomes:
- Specialized metabolic vesicles containing enzymes that break down toxic substances and fatty acids.
- Function in synthesizing specific lipid types, including bile salts and plasmalogens.
- Mitochondria:
- Double-membrane bound organelles functioning as cellular powerplants.
- Synthesize adenosine triphosphate ( $ATP$ ), the primary chemical energy currency of the cell, via cellular respiration.
- Characterized by distinct inner folded membranes (cristae) visible under electron microscopy.
- Centrosomes and Centrioles:
- Cytoskeletal organizing centers composed of microtubule triplets.
- Maintain cell shape and synthesize spindle fibers required for chromosome separation during mitosis.
- Nucleus:
- Control center of the cell enclosed by a dual-layered nuclear envelope.
- Houses deoxyribonucleic acid ( $DNA$ ), the master genetic blueprint for cellular functions.
- Every somatic cell contains the complete genome, but selectively expresses only the specific genes required for its specialized cell type (e.g., muscle vs. nerve cell).

The Cell Cycle and Mitosis

Interphase Overview:
- Non-dividing phase representing the majority of the cell cycle. Divided into three sequential sub-phases:
- $G_1$ Phase (First Gap/Growth): Active cell growth, organelle duplication, and preparation for replication; contains strict quality checkpoints.
- $S$ Phase (Synthesis): Direct replication ( $1:1$ photocopying) of nuclear $DNA$ so each new cell receives a complete set of genetic instructions.
- $G_2$ Phase (Second Gap/Growth): Further cell growth, synthesis of extra cytosol, proteins, and organelles to prepare for physical division.
Mitosis (PMAT) Stages:
- Division of nuclear material in somatic cells to produce two genetically identical daughter cells:
- Prophase: Nuclear envelope breaks down; chromatin condenses into visible, distinct chromosomes; centrioles migrate toward opposite cell poles and synthesize spindle fibers.
- Metaphase: Chromosomes align along the cell's equatorial plane (metaphase plate); spindle fibers attach firmly to the centromeres of each chromosome. Cell expands in volume.
- Anaphase: Spindle fibers contract, pulling sister chromatids apart into individual chromosomes toward opposite centriole poles.
  - Non-disjunction errors during separation cause chromosomal abnormalities, such as Trisomy $21$ (Down syndrome), where a cell receives three copies of chromosome $21$ .
- Telophase with Cytokinesis: Chromosomes reach poles and de-condense back into chromatin; nuclear envelopes re-form around each gene set.
  - Marked visually by the appearance of a cleavage furrow (an indentation where the plasma membrane pinches inward).
  - Cytokinesis completes the physical division of the cytoplasm, producing two separate, functional daughter cells.

In-Class Learning Resources and Tools

Classroom iPad Modules:
- iPads supplied in the laboratory contain digital slide modules illustrating mitosis phases and high-resolution cell microscopy examples.
- Modules are restricted to classroom use and cannot be shared electronically outside of lab hours.
3D Physical Models:
- Anatomical cell models and mitotic stage models are stationed on laboratory tables for hands-on tactile identification.

Questions & Discussion

Student Question: How can students access the Student Learning Objectives (SPO) document if it is not opening properly?
Response: The SPO document is uploaded directly to Canvas in both PDF and .docx formats. Students can download the .docx file or save the PDF locally to view, print, or edit using standard PDF software.