Learn some background information

• Cell biology is the study of cells, and how they function and interact with other cells. Cell biology focuses on the structure, function, and organization of cells as well as their chemical, physical and molecular properties.
• Understand who discovered cells. In 1665, English scientist Robert Hooke discovered that living things are made up of tiny units called cells when he looked at cork through a microscope for the first time. He said cork looked like a bunch of small boxes, which is where the word “cell” comes from.

• Learn what you can do with cell biology knowledge. You can learn about diseases at the molecular level by studying cell biology, which helps scientists figure out why our bodies become sick and how to treat illnesses and diseases in order to improve our overall health. By understanding more about cellular processes we can also improve production processes for industrial purposes such as brewing beer or making biofuels using microorganisms like algae or yeast.

Find out what the basics are

• You need to start with the basic building blocks of cell biology, which includes knowing what a cell is, how cells work and how they interact with each other in order to perform various functions within your body. You will also want to familiarize yourself with how these parts function on their own as well as within an organism’s entire system before moving on to higher levels of learning about them (such as their role in specific diseases).
• Understand that there are different types of cells and organs, as well as different roles for each one in your body. For example, muscle cells make up skeletal muscles while neural cells make up nerves—but both types play very different roles when it comes to movement!
• Know some terms you’ll hear often throughout this course such as “mitochondria” which produce energy for our bodies; “organelles” like ribosomes that build proteins from amino acids; “endoplasmic reticulum (ER)” where newly made molecules can be transported elsewhere inside or outside the cell; “Golgi apparatus” which sorts and packages proteins further into vesicles; or even something called a “cell membrane” which holds everything together by providing shape to individual organisms while still allowing some materials/signals through without passing directly through themselves.

Learn the technical terms

So, what are these terms you’re talking about?

• Cell theory: The idea that all forms of life are composed of cells.
• Cell nucleus: The core of a cell, where the DNA is stored.
• Cell membrane: A thin, protective covering that surrounds the cell and contains many pores for transporting information and materials in and out of the cell.
• Cytoplasm: The liquid-like material that makes up the other main component of a cell—the cell’s matrix. It contains powerful machinery for all essential functions of a cell.
• Mitochondria: Organelles inside cells that provide energy and produce chemical substances called metabolites by oxidizing foodstuffs like sugars and amino acids (i.e., when your body burns glucose or breaks down protein). They are often referred to as “the powerhouses” because they make ATP (adenosine triphosphate) molecules for transport in the cytoplasm—which provides energy to the rest of the cell through ion channels in their membranes, which is then used by proteins to perform other cellular functions such as movement or making hormones, etc.

Spread the learning over a week

What can you do if you’re new to the subject and don’t really know how long it will take to learn everything? You’ll have to plan out your study time in advance, even if you don’t know exactly what you’ll be learning yet.

How much time do you plan to devote to studying each day? What will your daily schedule look like? Will there be enough time for breaks and rest?

As a rule of thumb, it’s better to spread the learning over a week instead of trying to cram everything in at the last minute. This is especially true when it comes to memorizing vocabulary or names.

If you practice something at regular intervals (e.g., every day for about 20 minutes), “sticky” memories will form that is easy to recall later on in an exam. As opposed to cramming everything into your brain right before an exam, when those memories are more likely to decay quickly afterward.

Group your learning into different categories

To keep things organized, I like to group my learning into different categories. Cell biology is a big subject, so being able to break it down into smaller modules will help you tremendously.

There are many different types of cells, and many of these also form tissues. Tissues form organs and organs work together in organ systems within an organism. The organism is made up of the organ systems which themselves are made up of organs which themselves are made up of tissues which themselves are made up of cells.

Each cell has a role to play in its tissue, each tissue has a role to play in its organ, each organ has a role to play in its system and each system has a role to play in the organism. It is important for you to understand what role each cell type plays in the body as this will help you understand how that cell functions and why it functions the way it does.

For example, neurons have been modified from other cell types but have retained some characteristics from their original purpose as supporting cells for other neurons.

Remember to take notes

• This may seem obvious, but it’s a good idea to take notes while you’re learning your cell biology basics.
• Notes will help you to remember what you have learned from the video and text material, as well as help with study sessions down the road.
• Notes can also be used by students to create a mind map for studying or even just as a quick way to jot down important concepts.

Learning cell biology basics can be fun and easy to do!

Let’s face it. Learning new things can be a drag. It’s hard, it takes time and effort, and you’re often left feeling like you need to take another class to understand the first one. Not fun!

But don’t worry—cell biology basics don’t have to be this way. In fact, learning these concepts can be downright enjoyable if you use the right resources and approach them with an open mind. With that in mind, browse our blog’s biology section for more science lessons and study notes.