Biological basis of child health 1: understanding the cell and genetics
This article is the first of a series that outlines the fundamental aspects of the biological basis of child health. Cells and genes are the basic units of life. Therefore, it is essential that nurses have knowledge of how cells function to understand normal physiology and pathophysiology, and how specific conditions are inherited.
This article describes the components of the human cell, detailing their structure and function. It also discusses genetics, providing examples of inherited diseases including those caused by mutations that affect specific components of the cell. The aim is to provide children’s nurses with an accessible introduction to cell biology and genetics linked to their clinical practice.
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Why you should read this article
- to improve your knowledge of the fundamentals of cell division and genetics
- to understand how errors during deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) replication can cause mutations in genes
- to learn the laws of inheritance and how genes are passed from parents to offspring.
Resource last reviewed
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Authors
Kate Davies (Senior Lecturer in non-medical Prescribing - London South Bank University and honorary research fellow in paediatric endocrinology, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, England)
Eirini Meimaridou (Reader - School of Human Sciences, London Metropolitan University, London, England)
Eirini Meimaridou (Reader - School of Human Sciences, London Metropolitan University, London, England)
