Insect Physiology: A Comprehensive Guide to Internal Systems
Insect Physiology
Digestive System
Structure
A tube of epithelial cells, with the foregut and hindgut lined with cuticle that must be molted.
Segments
- Foregut
- Midgut
- Hindgut
Digestion
The breakdown and absorption of chemical energy and the elimination of waste.
Dietary Necessities
- Chemical energy
- Protein
- Fats and Lipids
- Essential vitamins
- Minerals
- Water
Foregut
Ingestion, initial digestion, and storage. Consists of the mouth, esophagus, salivary glands, crop, and proventriculus.
Crop
Food storage.
Proventriculus
Modifications
Read MoreAnatomy of the Thoracic and Abdominal Muscles
Thoracic Muscles
Diaphragm Muscle
The diaphragm is a large, flat, umbrella-shaped or dome-shaped muscle that separates the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity. Its contour is inserted into the lower chest, the costal margin, and the xiphoid sternum. Behind the diaphragm muscle, it is fixed in the first two lumbar vertebral bodies: pillars of the diaphragm (the muscle insertion). The diaphragm muscle, in its central part, has a clover-shaped aponeurosis. This central aponeurosis is called the phrenic
Read MoreFluid, Electrolyte, & Reproductive System Overview
Fluid, Electrolyte, & Acid-Base Balance:
- Body fluids: Our bodies are mostly water, with men being approximately 60% water and women around 55% water. 2
- Fluid compartments: Body fluids are divided into three compartments: Intracellular fluid (2/3) and Extracellular fluid (1/3), which includes Blood plasma and Interstitial fluid. 3
- Fluid movement: Fluid moves through pressure differentials. 4
Osmosis is the movement of water, while hydrostatic pressure is similar to a leaky garden hose (found in
Introduction to Immunology and the Immune System
Immunology
Immunology studies our defense mechanisms against infections of pathogenic microorganisms or damaged or dangerous cells, such as cancer cells.
Immunity
Immunity is the state of resistance or protection of the organism to an infection caused by a particular antigen, pathogen, or infectious disease.
The Immune System
The immune system is a complex network of organs, cells, and molecules that defends the body against infection. The immune system keeps a record of every germ (microbe) it has ever
Read MoreUnderstanding Genetics: From DNA to Mutations
The Genetic Code
The genetic code is a set of three-nucleotide combinations of nucleotides of the mRNA, or codons, each of which corresponds to a specific amino acid of the polypeptide or protein.
Key Characteristics:
- Universal: This means that almost every organism or living thing uses the same code. The same codons code for the same amino acids in all living things.
- Degenerated: This means that a given amino acid may be coded for by more than one codon.
Introns and Exons
Introns are non-coding sections
Read MoreX-Rays and Radiographic Contrast Media: A Comprehensive Guide
X-RAY
Electromagnetic Waves
X-rays are electromagnetic waves of very short wavelength, hence a very high frequency, discovered by Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen in 1895. They obey all the laws of light, but with some special properties:
- They can penetrate materials that absorb or reflect visible light.
- They make certain substances fluoresce. In other words, they emit visible light.
- They affect photographic film, producing a record.
- They produce biological changes, both somatic and genetic.
Read MoreWhen a stream of electrons