Cellular Energy: Mitochondria and Metabolism
Mitochondria: The Powerhouses of the Cell
Mitochondria are cellular organelles responsible for supplying most of the energy necessary for cell activity. They act as central powerhouses of the cell and synthesize ATP at the expense of metabolic fuels. In the mitochondrial matrix are located enzymes responsible for fatty acid oxidation, amino acids, pyruvic acid, and the citric acid cycle.
Metabolism: Transforming Biomolecules
Metabolism is the set of chemical reactions that occur inside cells and cause
Read MoreBiotechnology: Applications, Benefits, and Risks
Biotechnology is technology based on biology, especially used in agriculture, pharmacy, food science, the environment, and medicine. It develops into a multidisciplinary approach involving various disciplines and sciences such as biology, biochemistry, genetics, virology, agronomy, engineering, physics, chemistry, medicine, veterinary medicine, and others. It has a great impact on pharmacy, medicine, microbiology, food science, mining, and agriculture, among other fields. Under the Convention on
Read MoreHuman Respiration and the Circulatory System
Respiration
Respiration is the process by which air containing oxygen enters our body, and air rich in carbon dioxide is expelled. A living being can survive for several hours without eating, sleeping, or drinking water, but cannot stop breathing for more than three minutes. This fact highlights the importance of breathing for our lives.
Composition of Air
- Nitrogen (N2): 78.084%
- Oxygen (O2): 20.946%
- Argon (Ar): 0.9340%
- Carbon dioxide (CO2): 0.039%
- Neon (Ne): 0.001818%
- Helium (He): 0.000524%
- Inter alia
Respiratory
Read MoreMendelian Genetics: Inheritance and Genetic Variation
Mendelian Genetics: Understanding Heredity
Genetics is the branch of biology that studies heredity and the mechanisms by which biological traits are transmitted from generation to generation.
- Gene: A segment of DNA that contains the information for the synthesis of a protein. This term was first used by Johannsen.
- Allele: Each of the different forms that a gene can have. Alleles arise from mutations.
- Locus: The specific location of a gene on a chromosome. A chromosome contains many loci.
- Genotype: The
Angiosperms: Characteristics, Evolution, and Classification
Angiosperms is the common name of the division or phylum that contains flowering plants, which are the dominant form of plant life. The members of this division are the source of most of the food on which humans and other mammals base their livelihood, as well as many raw materials and natural products. This includes almost all shrubs and herbaceous plants, most trees except pines and other conifers, and more specialized plants, like succulents, epiphytes, and aquatic plants. Although there are
Read MoreCell Membrane Structure, Function, and Transport Mechanisms
The Plasma Membrane
The plasma membrane is a biological membrane that separates the interior of a cell from the extracellular environment. It allows interactions and is selective.
Composition
- Lipids: These are amphipathic molecules. The main ones are phospholipids (which have hydrophobic tails and polar heads), cholesterol (found only in animals, interspersed between phospholipids), and glycolipids (occurring in the outer monolayer; in plants, they appear more often).
- Proteins: These fulfill the biological