Cell and molecular biology is an integrative field of study which is focused on understanding the life of a cell. Eukaryotic organisms are composed of a multitude of cells and it is these cells which give rise to all required biological functions, are capable of regenerating and can become mutated.
Molecular biology is a field of study which is closely associated with genetics and aims to understand the processes which occur between cells, proteins and DNA. In essence, molecular biology allows scientists to better comprehend how organisms function and advancements which have been made can be useful to many other fields of science such as biochemistry and genetics.
Over the decades molecular biology has become a wildly popular field and numerous techniques have been developed. Some molecular techniques include the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) which allows for single strands of DNA to be copied or altered and different types of gel electrophoresis, which allow DNA, RNA and proteins to be separated, identified and studied. For instance, southern blotting is a type of gel electrophoresis used to detect specific DNA sequences.
Cell biology focuses more on understanding the components of a cell, cellular process and how cells become specialized. The internal space of a cell is rather intricate and composed of numerous organelles which ensure that a cell functions properly. In terms of cellular processes, this includes mechanisms such as cellular division and DNA replication. Using molecular techniques, the secrets of a cell can be uncovered.
Cell and molecular biology is an important and multi-dimensional field in biology which has grown tremendously. Continuous advancements in this field are crucial to shed further insight on the cellular machinery and mechanisms which control all organisms.
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