LAST BLOG

What was your favorite topic this semester? Why?
This semester I really enjoyed the basis of chromosomal inheritance. This chapter depicts who were are and what we look like and hwo we behave. It always amuzed me.
What was your least favorite?
Cell Communication was my least favorite. I did not understand very well and I was confused about signal transduction.
What would you change about this class if you could?
 I do wish we had more visual and lectures cause i think that i enjoy those more than reading and taking notes.
What do you feel is your biggest accomplishment in biology this year?
This is my first AP class ever. it was quite the experience. My biggest accomplishment would be to have stayed in the class and kept stiving to do better and work hard. Even though I was not the A student in the class i learned a lot and it is something that will stay with me for the rest of my life.


THANK YOU MRS. MALONEK (:

Invertebrate Comparison

Invertebrate: Some examples of invertebrates are insects and flatworms. They are small and slow moving and have no backbone. Some physical characteristics are that they are multicellular, they have no cell walls, they reproduce sexually and they are heterotrophic.

Vertebrate: Some examples of vertebrates are parrots, humans, snakes etc. They are animals with a internal skeleton made of bone. They have a well developed internal skeleton, a highly developed brain, they have a advanced nervous system and they attain a outer covering of protective cellular skin. They are also classified into 5 groups: fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.

Genome Entry 6 : Sex

The genetic diseases Prader-Willi syndrome and Angelman's syndrome are both cause by the same lack of chromosome 15. It has been shown that whether a child inherits either syndrome it depends on the parent from whom the mutation was inherited. In this situation Prader-Willi is from the father and Angelman's from the mother. It relates to how the placenta is controlled by paternal genes and how it uses the mother's body and resources. In genetic cloning like Dolly, it seems to erase all genetic imprints so that the organism will survive. Imprinting has a effect on the brain as well. The mother's genes controls the development of the cerebral cortex while the father controls the development of the hypothalamus. With this we inherit the mother's way of thinking and the father's innate moods. Gender roles in behavior have been controlled in the genome rather than by the environment.

Genome Entry 5 : Instinct

Many great theories implied that genetic determinism of human instinct is much more probable. Human grammar is probably the best example. Young children can speak with perfect grammar before even learning it. On chromosome 7 there is a gene that is linked to the disorder called Specific Language Impairment or SLI.  In a study of a English family with a history of the disorder, Myrna Gopnik proposed that SLI does not develop from the physical act of speaking but rather in the ability to learn grammar rules. Individuals that have SLI communicate with much larger vocabulary because of the lack of internalized grammar which is similar to adults trying to learn a new foreign language. Ridley also connects grammar instincts to natural selection and how it is used for survival.

Genome Entry 4 : Environment

In this chapter, Ridley shows that genetic inheritance is also based on the environment of the individual. Chromosome 5 holds the asthma gene. This disorder holds a direct relationship with allergies. Many theories support why asthma has been increasing. theories such as new pollution from new technologies and even excessive hygiene. While studying the asthma gene, it was found that the closest genes to the asthma causing gene are the two genes that produce immunoglobulin-E. This protein comes in different forms and it helps with the release of histamine into the body. Even though asthma has been linked to genes, the individual genes are based on ethnicity and the cause of the disease is mostly determined by the environment of the individual.

Genome Entry 3 : Fate

In this chapter Ridley begins by identifying genes by the diseases that they can cause to the different organs and even to the ways of suffering in order to show the difference between a gene and a mutation. In the Wolf-Hirschhorn gene, those who attain this gene are healthy and those who don't have the Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome and those who have the mutation have Huntington's chorea. In 1970, Nancy Wexler, her father and her doctor decided to research the gene because she knew that she might carry the gene. It was finally found in 1993. The number of repetitions  of CAG signifies at what age the carrier will exhibit the symptoms. The number of repetitions increase over time especially in sperm production but not in the cerebellum. Ridley then talks about how people handle fate by testing positive for Huntington's and how it is not always the best thing to diagnose a disease that can not be cured.

Genome Entry 2 : Life

In this chapter of the Genome book, Ridley begins by speaking about the history of life. He believes that life began with RNA instead of DNA. He claims that RNA is more chemically active and automatic than DNA. Prehistoric "ribo-organisms" eventually made up DNA from a evolutionary error and trial process because it was much faster and more reliable. Next, he discusses the Last Universal Common Ancestor or LUCA. It has been believed that LUCA is a sort of bacteria living in a hot marine environment. Bacteria attain their genetic inheritance by stealing the genes from one another. Now LUCA is believed to be more of a protozoan because the bacteria would have dropped the RNA so that it could reproduce faster. Doing that it would help them in evolutionary strength. In the end, Ridley states that life is physical history and it isn't a genealogical one. The history of life can only be found in the genome.

BOW Nephron

Nephron is the basic structural and functional unit of the kidney. Its main function is to regulate the concentration of water and soluble substances by filtering the blood and reabsorbing what it needs and excreting what it doesn't need.In depth, the nephron regulates blood volume/pressure, controls the levels of electrolytes and metabolites and regulates blood pH. Its functions are regulated by hormones and the endocrine system.
There are two classes of nephrons, They are cortical and juxtamedullary nephrons. they are classified according to their length and the Loop of Henle and the location of the renal corpuscle. The Loop of Henle is a part of the nephron that leads from the proximal tubule to the distal convoluted tubule.

Loop of Henle: 

BOW 3 STARFISH

Starfish are also known as sea stars. They are echinoderms that belong to the class, Asteroidea.There are about 1,800 living species of starfish. They are among the most familiar out of the marine animals and they have mamy characteristics including regeneration and feeding on mussels. They come in many sizes and they have many different feeding methods. Starfish are opportunistic feeders meaning that they have certain feeding behaviors such as suspension feeding and specialized predation on certain prey.

Starfish have a water vascular system that aids them in locomotion. This system has many features such as tube feet in the ventral faces of the starfish's arms helping them with movement and helping them eat. The mouth of the starfish is located on the underside of their bodies and it leads to their cardiac stomach and then to the pyloric stomach. Starfish also have a very complex nervous system. The esophagus is surrounded by a central nerve ring which sends radial nerves to each arm. All of these connect to form the brain. The ring nerves and radial nerves help coordinate the balance and direction for the starfish.

picture links:

http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1280&bih=843&tbm=isch&tbnid=0_dbmbiE_wzO5M:&imgrefurl=http://universe-review.ca/R10-33-anatomy.htm&docid=5Z6HQJVvjv14TM&imgurl=http://universe-review.ca/I10-82-starfish.jpg&w=650&h=423&ei=B0SvT9m2NIHgiALt_tmcBA&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=135&sig=112205966848938297682&page=1&tbnh=122&tbnw=187&start=0&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0,i:129&tx=99&ty=94

 dissection link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJ7BzlZ5QW4

Genome FIRST ENTRY: SPECIES

 Around the twentieth century, it was thought that there was 24 chromosomes in the human genome. Apes and gorillas are very similar to humans, they have 24 chromosomes while we have 23. It is because the human chromosome number 2 is a slightly different version of two ape chromosomes, it is more modified. Humans have over 300 million tons of biomass and we have colonized almost every habitat possible. Humans and chimps are 98% genetically the same. At one point in the population of the chimps the population was split. One of the populations developed a genetic mutation that prevented the two populations from breeding and that formed a new species known as the human species. Eventually the human population developed different methods of adaptations and breeding, eventually seperating us from the two. The difference between species is in the genes and they do play a big part.

BLOG 5 INTELLIGENCE

Why is it important to define and debate our understanding of intelligence and its origins and how does it relate to you?


It is important to be able to define our understanding of intelligence because as human beings we are constantly learning about something new each day. Intelligence is the capacity that someone has for learning, reasoning, understanding, and other forms of mental activity. I believe that if someone doesn't understand the meaning of intelligence they are not using their brain to the full capacity. Debating on intelligence opens up our eyes and shows us how many topics are involved in intelligence making us aware of what we need to understand and learn. There are many forms of intelligence and it depends on the type of person that you are. My definition of intelligence is being able to build on your weaknesses and strengthen your strengths and learn above and beyond both. Intelligence is how far your brain can go and how much information it can attain and the connections that are made in between them.

Double Fertilization

Double Fertilization evolved in flowering plants or angiosperms. The process involves the coming together of a a female gametophyte with to male gametes. It all starts when a pollen grain lands on the stigma of he carpel, which is the female reproductive structure of a flower. The grain of pollen takes in the moisture and begins to germinate. It forms a pollen tube that extends down to the ovary through the style. The tip of the pollen tube enters the ovary and opens the ovule and releases two sperms. One sperm will fertilize the egg and the other sperm will combine with the two polar nuclei. A diploid zygote will form. The large cell will begin to develop into the endosperm. This will help the embryo develop. Then the ovary will develop into a fruit which holds the nutrients and protects it.

images:

http://www.google.com/imgres?q=double+fertilization&um=1&hl=en&safe=active&sa=N&biw=1024&bih=843&tbm=isch&tbnid=HuwpLwP7nwqqMM:&imgrefurl=http://www.biologyjunction.com/plant_reproduction.htm&docid=d4WLsbrlbccqFM&imgurl=http://www.biologyjunction.com/images/doublefertilazation.jpg&w=705&h=402&ei=mgNMT-W4B8zaiQKapNmiDw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=467&vpy=338&dur=2111&hovh=169&hovw=297&tx=154&ty=81&sig=101445140827547670236&page=1&tbnh=118&tbnw=207&start=0&ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:0&surl=1


http://www.google.com/imgres?q=double+fertilization&um=1&hl=en&safe=active&sa=N&biw=1024&bih=843&tbm=isch&tbnid=5vMPkZuUPFNPpM:&imgrefurl=http://scwolver.wordpress.com/2006/06/01/double-fertilization/&docid=jp9g_vle6TX_CM&imgurl=http://bcs.whfreeman.com/thelifewire/content/chp39/f39005.gif&w=700&h=315&ei=mgNMT-W4B8zaiQKapNmiDw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=302&vpy=514&dur=302&hovh=150&hovw=335&tx=183&ty=78&sig=101445140827547670236&page=1&tbnh=87&tbnw=194&start=0&ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:11,s:0&surl=1

Plant Division

The four major groups of plants are mosses, ferns, conifers and flowering plants.

Mosses are land plants but they do not have seeds like flower plants. Mosses reproduce with spores and lack vessels which restricts them to be a smaller size. They are found in moist environments.

Ferns are made up of vascular systems. Ferns do not have flowers and reproduce with spores, each spore grows into a new plant called gametophyte.The gametophyte produces gametes (eggs and sperm), which unite to produce the fern plant.

Conifers produce seeds not spores. Conifers produce pollen cones, in which develop microsporangia, which undergo meiosis, producing pollen grains, which are immature male gametophytes. The pollen is blown by the wind onto female cones.

Flowering Plants also known as angiosperms. The flower attracts many animals that help in pollination. The seed develops in a ovary which turns into a fruit. Many animals will eat the fruit and the seed with be passed along through the digestive system, unharmed and then will be deposited into the ground.

Beneficial Bacteria

Not all bacteria are bad. In fact, most bacteria are harmless, and some are even beneficial. There are certain fungi, particularly yeasts, that are useful to people and can help promote good health. Many of these good bacteria and fungi aid in digestion. Others are used in food and medicine.

 

CELL WORDLE

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flaggellum- locomotion organelle present in some animal cells.
centrosome- region where the cell's microtubules are initiated; in animal cell, contains a pair of centrioles.
chromatin- material consisting of DNA and proteins.
nucleolus- nonmembanous organelle involved in production of ribosomes.
lysosome- digestive organelle.
plasma membrane- membrane enclosing the cell.
ribosome- nonmembranous organelles that make proteins.
cytoskeleton- holds the cell's shape. it is made of protein
mitochondrion- organelle where cellular respiration occurs and most ATP is generated.
chloroplast- photosynthetic organelle that converts energy of sunlight to chemical energy.
cell wall- holds cell shape and protects the cell.
golgi apparatus- organelle active in synthesis, sorting, and secretion of cell products.
endoplasmic reticulum- network of membranous sacs and tubes; active in membranous synthesis and other synthetic and metabolic processes.
tonoplast- membrane enclosing the central vacuole.
central vacuole- prominent organelle in older plant cells; functions include breakdown of waste, storage and enlargement of vacuole.

* not in animal cells: chloroplasts, central vacuole and tonoplast, cell wall and plasmodesmata.
* not in plant cells: lysosomes,centrioles, and flagella.

Bacteria vs Prion vs Virus

Bacteria: One of two prokaryotic domains, the other being archaea.
Bacteria are microscopic organisms whose single cells have neither a membrane-enclosed nucleus or other membrane-enclosed organelles like mitochondria.They do not go through meiosis/mitosis for reproduction.The Gram Positive plasma membrane and both membranes in Gram negative bacteria are phospholipid bilayers but contain no cholesterol. 

Prion: A infectious form of protein that may increase in number by converting related proteins to more prions.
When a prion enters a healthy organism, it controls proteins to convert into the disease-associated, prion form. Then the prion acts as a template to guide the misfolding of more protein into prion form. These newly formed prions can then go on to convert more proteins themselves, this triggers a chain reaction that produces large amounts of the prion form.

Virus: A small infectious agent that can replicate only inside the living cells of organisms.
 Virus particles are made of genetic material composed of  DNA or RNA, a protein coat that protects these genes, and in some cases an envelope of lipids that surrounds the protein coat when they are outside a cell.

Bacterial Transformation

Bacterial Transformation is the alteration of a bacterial cell's genotype by the uptake of naked foreign DNA from the surrounding environment.
Researchers found that many bacterial species have proteins that on the surface of the protein they are specialized to uptake naked DNA from the surrounding solution. These proteins specifically recognize and transport only DNA from closely related species of bacteria.

compare photosynthesis and cellular respiration

Photosynthesis: The conversion of light and energy to chemical energy that is stored in glucose or other organic compounds. It occurs in plants,algae, and certain prokaryotes.
Cellular Respiration: The most prevalent and efficient catabolic pathway for the production of ATP, in which oxygen is consumed as a reactant along with the organic fuel.
What are the similarities?: They both take place within an organelle. They both involve electron transport chains. They also utilize ATP for energy. Most importantly they provide power for cellular activity.

Differences?: In cellular respiration it depends on oxygen as a substrate. In Photosynthesis it uses 2 electron transport chains. In Photo, energy is provided by photons whereas in cellular respiration the energy is provided by a catabolic process. Photosynthesis produces NADPH and Cellular respiration involves NADH and FADH2.