1.1 Cell Structure

This module introduces one of the most fundamental ideas in biology: all living organisms are made of cells. You will begin by comparing eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells, exploring the key structural differences between animal, plant and bacterial cells, and understanding how genetic material is organised. You will also learn to work confidently with cell size, orders of magnitude and standard form.

The module then explores how cells become specialised and differentiated, allowing multicellular organisms to form tissues, organs and organ systems. You will examine specialised animal and plant cells and link their structure directly to their function. Next, you will investigate how microscopes have developed over time, comparing light and electron microscopes in terms of magnification and resolution, and practising essential microscopy calculations. Finally, you will study how microorganisms are cultured safely in laboratories, including aseptic techniques and mathematical methods for estimating bacterial growth.