BIOLOGY NOTES

Intro to bio:

Characteristics of living things:

Highly organized-contain protein and DNA, composed of one or more cells, use energy, possess
definite form and limited size, limited life span, grow, respond to changes in the environment,
reproduce, groups of living things evolve.

Organization of living things:

Smallest to largest – cell, tissue, organ, system, organism, community

Abiogenesis vs. Biogenesis

Biogenesis - the belief that living things come from other living things of the same type.

Abiogenesis - the belief that living things can arise from non-living materials.

Cell Theory

All organisms are made up of one or more cells. A cell is the smallest unit of structure and
function. All cells come from pre existing cells.

Microscope

Care and proper use

To get a good focus, start out with the lowest objective lens and put the stage all the way up.
Use the fine adjustment knobs to get your specimen as clear as possible, and then center your
specimen to the area you want to look at. Move the lenses to the medium objective lens and
adjust it again using the adjustment knobs or center it. Always go from low, to medium, to high
power. Never straight from low to high, and don’t go backwards.

Parts of the microscope and their function

Ocular lens: what you look through, it magnifies objects.

Body tube: keeps the upper and lower lens a proper distance between each other.

Revolving nosepiece: moves the objective lenses

Objective lens: magnifies specimen – 4x, 10x, 40x

Stage clips: holds the slide in place

Stage: supports the slide

Diaphram: controls the amount of light coming through lens

Light source: the light that passes through the specimen

Coarse adjustment: to get a good focus

Fine adjustment: gives you the best/sharpest focus

Arm: gives the support for upper lens

Base: supports microscope/houses electrical stuff

Slide: specimen is put on slide

Coverslip: placed over specimen

ACTUAL SIZE=

Magnification of Drawing=

FIELD OF VIEW/FIELD DIAMETER=

Cell Biology:

Cell diagram (attatched)

Functions of each of the cell’s components:

Cell membrane (in both plant and animals) – acts as a gatekeeper, controls the movement of
materials in and out of cells, keeps the internal of the cell constant (homeostasis)
semipermiable (only some things can pass through)

Cell wall (only in plant cells) – provides protection from physical injury, works together with
vacuole, provides skeletal support, osmoregulation. Made of cellulose

Cytoplasm – many chemical reactions happen, organelles are found in cytoplasm

Ribosomes – where proteins are synthesized (makes proteins), amino acids are chemically
bounded by enzymes, made up of rRNA and proteins
Smooth E.R. – no ribosome’s attached, fats and lipids are synthesized, transport proteins, helps
make lipids

Rough E.R. – ribosome’s attached, carry materials throughout cytoplasm, helps transport
materials, helps make lipids.

Golgi Bodies – processes, packs and stores products of the cell. Package cellular secretions for
export

Mitochondria – turns foods into energy through cellular respiration, contains DNA and
ribosome’s. Release energy stored in sugars for use by the cell, transfers glucose from
carbohydrates to ATP.

Nucleus – contains chromatin (which holds DNA), nucleolus, nuclear membrane, proteins.
Regulates all cell activity, where ribosome’s are assembled.

Chromosomes (chromatin) – made of DNA and protein. Makes a chemical messenger that
carries genetic info from nucleus to ribosome’s. It contains genetic information that regulates
cell function. Provide hereditary instruction for the assembly of specific proteins.

Nucleolus – inside nucleus. Contains protens and rRNA. Makes rRNA that goes to the cytoplasm
to form ribosome’s.

Plastids – store pigments, fats and starches.

Chloroplasts (only in plant cells) – contain the green pigment, chlorophyll. Specialize in
photosynthesis. During cell division, chloroplasts and mitochondria are self replicating.

Lysosomes – formed by the golgi body. The enzymes breaks down large molecules and cell
parts. Food particles are broken down to be used by the cell. They destroy harmful substances
that make their way into the cell.

Vacuoles – stores sugars, minerals, proteins and water. Important in maintaining turgor
pressure (the pressure exerted by water against a cell membrane, and the cell wall in plant
cells) helps support plant cells

Cytoskeleton – helps give the cell shape and structure, helps cell move

Centrioles – distribution of chromosomes during cell division, control animal cell division

Cilia – short and many of them, helps the cell move like ores in a rowing motion.

Flagella – few of them, but very long. Moves like a whip and also helps cell move.

Secretory vesicles carry materials between organelles or to and from the cell’s membrane
Eukaryotic vs prokaryotic, multi/uni, plant/animal

Eukaryotic – living things that have a true nucleus. Ex: animals, plants, fungi, protists.

Prokaryotic – no true nucleus. Has a nuclear region, but no nuclear membrane surrounding it.
No membranes surround the organelles in prokaryotes. Ex: bacteria and algae

Unicellular organisms – made up of one single cell and must be able to get food and oxygen
from the environment, and use cellular respiration.

Multicellular organisms – made up of many cells. Can do more things.

A unicellular organism must be versatile because it has to everything for itself.

Specialized cells are cells that are adapted for specific functions. Multicellular organisms need
specialized cells. Examples of specialized cells are blood and nerve cells.

Unicellular evolved before multicellular organisms.

Symbiotic Theory of Evolution

The belief that prokaryotes were engulfed by other cells to become ancestors of eukaryotic
cells.

Stem cell research

Prochoice – human life starts at birth (liberals)

Prolife – human life begins at conception (conservatives)

Trying to cure diseases using stem cells, convert ordinary cells to stem cells, embryonic cells are
taken from embryos, embryonic stem cells potency is usually better than adult stem cells
because adult stem cells are not as reprogrammed as embryonic stem cells because they are
not as specialized.

The Cell and its Environment