Essencial Questions
1. How do we know how life began?
Many biologists believe that cells only come from pre-existing cells (as pasteur showed in his experiment). Even so, the first form of life had to come from something non-living, so experiments like the Miller-Urey experiment showed that living organisms can arise from non-living organisms. With the right ingredients (a spark, heat, a reduced atmosphere) enzymes and amino acids can be produced, and lead to the creation of proteins, which lead to the final creation of cells. The Miller-Urey experiment had a mix of all three ingredients and indeed created amino acids. Now, we know that there are four steps to the origin of life: The synthesis of inorganic molecules to organic molecules (synthesis of amino acids), the assembly of molecules into polymers, creation of polymers that can self replicate (inherence of DNA), development of compartmentalisation.
2. How is the cell like a city?
A cell is like a city because all organisms contain a different role that attributes to the functioning of the cell. All of them work at the same time at every hour to keep it functioning. For example, The nucleus can be like the mayor, who controls every process happening in the cell, and also has records of the city's history that will be passed on to the next mayor. The mitochondria is the company in charge of powering the city by providing electricity. The Ribosomes are the doctors that provide medical assistance for the birth of the civilians (proteins). The rough endoplastic reticulum is the hospital where the process of birth takes place, and later transports the kids to the Golgi Apparatus (the school) were kids learn and decide what career (function) they would like to exert for the rest of their lives. The vacuole is the garbaje deposit, were the waste materials are stored. And finally, the cell membrane is the security in the borders of the city that controls who gets in and who gets out.
3. How do cells communicate with one another?
cells communicate by cell signalling, a communication system that controls activities and actions. The ability of cells to respond to its environment (tissue repair and homeostasis).
4. Why is stem cell research a hot topic.
Stem cell research is a hot topic because it is a new medical system that in a few years can be able to find the cure for incurable diseases. This can save an massive amount of lives. The embryonic stem cells is the first cell in the human body that differentiates into the different type of cells of each body part. If I have an incurable heart disease I can receive stem cell therapy by obtaining a stem cell to recreate the damaged heart cells. Although, this is a controversial concept because to obtain a stem cell one most kill the embryo in which it lives. Many believe that by killing an embryo you are killing a form of life. People compare it to abortion because you are killing something that will become a person with emotions and feelings.
1. How do we know how life began?
Many biologists believe that cells only come from pre-existing cells (as pasteur showed in his experiment). Even so, the first form of life had to come from something non-living, so experiments like the Miller-Urey experiment showed that living organisms can arise from non-living organisms. With the right ingredients (a spark, heat, a reduced atmosphere) enzymes and amino acids can be produced, and lead to the creation of proteins, which lead to the final creation of cells. The Miller-Urey experiment had a mix of all three ingredients and indeed created amino acids. Now, we know that there are four steps to the origin of life: The synthesis of inorganic molecules to organic molecules (synthesis of amino acids), the assembly of molecules into polymers, creation of polymers that can self replicate (inherence of DNA), development of compartmentalisation.
2. How is the cell like a city?
A cell is like a city because all organisms contain a different role that attributes to the functioning of the cell. All of them work at the same time at every hour to keep it functioning. For example, The nucleus can be like the mayor, who controls every process happening in the cell, and also has records of the city's history that will be passed on to the next mayor. The mitochondria is the company in charge of powering the city by providing electricity. The Ribosomes are the doctors that provide medical assistance for the birth of the civilians (proteins). The rough endoplastic reticulum is the hospital where the process of birth takes place, and later transports the kids to the Golgi Apparatus (the school) were kids learn and decide what career (function) they would like to exert for the rest of their lives. The vacuole is the garbaje deposit, were the waste materials are stored. And finally, the cell membrane is the security in the borders of the city that controls who gets in and who gets out.
3. How do cells communicate with one another?
cells communicate by cell signalling, a communication system that controls activities and actions. The ability of cells to respond to its environment (tissue repair and homeostasis).
4. Why is stem cell research a hot topic.
Stem cell research is a hot topic because it is a new medical system that in a few years can be able to find the cure for incurable diseases. This can save an massive amount of lives. The embryonic stem cells is the first cell in the human body that differentiates into the different type of cells of each body part. If I have an incurable heart disease I can receive stem cell therapy by obtaining a stem cell to recreate the damaged heart cells. Although, this is a controversial concept because to obtain a stem cell one most kill the embryo in which it lives. Many believe that by killing an embryo you are killing a form of life. People compare it to abortion because you are killing something that will become a person with emotions and feelings.
Sources:
- http://www.explorestemcells.co.uk/stemcellcontroversy.html
- http://www.puhuahospital.com/?gclid=CILHp6viwcECFUsV7AodP1EAqw#!heart-disease/ch32
- Molecular biology Textbook
- Class Powerpoints