This module explores the fascinating world of living cells. You'll learn about cell and tissue diversity in different organisms and the structures and processes that enable cells to survive, grow, multiply, move, and communicate. You'll also explore laboratory techniques used to study cells and experience some of these techniques via online investigations throughout the module. In addition, you'll use a bioinformatics database and develop your data interpretation and problem-solving skills. Through your study, you'll better understand cell biology and its vital contribution to science and technology.
| Course facts | |
|---|---|
| About this course: | |
| Course code | S296 |
| Credits | 30 |
| OU Level | 2 |
| SCQF level | 9 |
| FHEQ level | 5 |
| Course work includes: | |
| 3 Tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) | |
| 2 Interactive computer-marked assignments (iCMAs) | |
| End-of-module assessment | |
| No residential school | |
This module develops your understanding of key cell biology concepts and helps you appreciate the bigger picture of how structures and processes inside cells work together. Throughout the module, you'll learn to collect and interpret data from on-screen digital microscopes, databases, virtual on-screen investigations, and a remote access experiment with living cells.
The module comprises eleven topics:
Topic 1: The first cells
This topic introduces the module themes by exploring the earliest origins of cells and the processes from which life arose.
Topic 2: Cell diversity and structure
This topic introduces the diversity of cells among different organisms before examining cellular structures in detail. You'll explore three-dimensional models of cells and use digital light, fluorescence and electron microscopes to better understand their structures.
Topic 3: Genes and genomes
This topic introduces the structure of genomes in different cell types before exploring the processes by which DNA is replicated and repaired. You'll learn about genome sequencing in the laboratory and extract information from an online database that collates vast amounts of genomic data.
Topic 4: Gene expression
In this topic, you'll explore how cells use the genetic information in DNA to produce functional proteins and RNAs. You'll study the regulation of gene expression and learn about techniques used to measure it. You'll also begin investigating the effects of a specific growth factor on cells by examining changes in gene expression.
Topic 5: Proteins – form and function
This topic explores how the structure of a protein defines its function. You'll use the Protein Data Bank to explore the three-dimensional structure of proteins and continue your investigation into the effect of growth factor on gene expression by performing an immunoblot experiment.
Topic 6: Membranes, vesicles and cellular traffic
Here you will learn about the structure of cell membranes and how cells regulate the transport of different substances across them.
Topic 7 Cell signalling and communication:
This topic focuses on signalling between cells. In the final part of your investigation into the effect of the growth factor, you'll monitor a specific cellular response. To do this, you'll remotely access and collect data from a live cell experiment at our Milton Keynes campus.
Topic 8: Energy flow
In this topic, you'll explore how the cells of different organisms exploit different energy sources to produce ATP, the vital form of chemical energy that drives cell processes.
Topic 9: Cell movements
Here you will learn about the role of the cytoskeleton in cell movement, from the internal movement of structures and organelles to cell migration and muscle contraction.
Topic 10: The life cycle of cells
This penultimate topic explores cell division, cell death and differentiation. You'll learn to interpret flow cytometry data to study cell division.
Topic 11: Inheritance and genetic diversity
The final topic focuses on inheritance and the molecular mechanisms that underlie genetic diversity.
As well as learning key cell biology concepts, you'll develop your skills for further science study, including data interpretation, experimental investigation, numeracy, statistics, problem-solving, data-handling and presenting data, collaboration and communication.
There are no formal entry requirements for this module.
At The Open University, we believe education should be open to all, so we provide high-quality university education to anyone who wishes to realise their ambitions and fulfil their potential.
Even though there are no entry requirements, you'll need an appropriate knowledge of biology and appropriate study skills obtained through:
Are you ready for S296?
We recommend you've completed:
You'll be able to access the module website 2–3 weeks before the module starts, so you can learn to navigate the website and organise your study plan. A module primer contains the basic concepts you should understand. You can use this primer to refresh your knowledge before starting your studies or as a resource throughout.
You'll have access to a module website, which includes:
You'll also have access to the OpenScience Laboratory, where you'll conduct some of your experiments and perform a remote experiment.
Throughout your module studies, you'll get help and support from your assigned module tutor. They'll help you by:
Module tutors also run online tutorials throughout the module. Where possible, recordings of online tutorials will be made available to students. While these tutorials won't be compulsory for you to complete the module, you're strongly encouraged to take part.
The assessment details for this module can be found in the facts box.
The School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences offers optional laboratory schools in Milton Keynes at an additional cost. Laboratory schools are not part of this module but may be of interest if you wish to gain relevant hands-on laboratory experience.
Further information and instructions for booking are on the SS022 website.
The OU strives to make all aspects of study accessible to everyone. The Accessibility Statement below outlines what studying this module involves. You should use this information to inform your study preparations and any discussions with us about how we can meet your needs.
All of this module's study materials are online. Online materials comprise pages of text with images, audio clips, video clips (most with transcripts/subtitles), diagrams, interactive media and animations. Online materials also include links to external resources, online forums and online tutorial rooms.
This module provides module-wide and tutor group online learning events. Module-wide tutorials mostly focus on the topic content and support of the Experimental Strand, whilst tutor group tutorials mostly support the assessment and some activities. Although not compulsory, attendance at tutorials will help you consolidate your learning.
You'll work with other students in one or more activities; we'll assess this.
Online experimental investigations and activities are a key part of the module; we'll assess these. We'll provide alternative study materials/arrangements if you cannot perform the online experiments to enable you to complete the module.
You'll use mathematical and scientific symbols and expressions throughout the module and within assessment.
The study materials contain many diagrams, graphs and microscope images. It also uses microscopes and a 3D interactive cell. Reading, interpreting graphs and onscreen microscope images and producing figures is an important part of the study of this module and is assessed. We provide descriptions for some figures.
You'll search for and use third-party material online; this forms part of the assessment. We can provide alternatives for required/assessed research material to enable you to meet the module's learning outcomes.
You might be working with specialist reading material such as articles from the scientific literature. These will be available online.
This module has tutor-marked assignments (TMAs), computer-marked assignments and an end-of-module assessment (EMA) submitted via the online TMA/EMA service.
You'll receive feedback from your tutor on your submitted Tutor-Marked Assignments (TMAs) and automated feedback on your submitted interactive computer-marked assignments. This will help you to reflect on your performance. You should refer to it to help you prepare for your next assignment.
We structure modules to a set timetable; you'll need time-management skills to keep your studies on track. We'll support you in developing these skills.
Cell and molecular biology (S296) starts once a year – in October.
This page describes the module that will start in October 2025.
We expect it to start for the last time in October 2030.
This course is expected to start for the last time in October 2030.