Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is a possible advantage of being larger in size as a predator?
What is a possible advantage of being larger in size as a predator?
- Being able to move faster
- Being able to escape from predators
- Being able to attack bigger prey (correct)
- Being able to camouflage effectively
What is the most important advantage of multicellularity?
What is the most important advantage of multicellularity?
- Protection from predators
- Specialisation of cells to specific tasks (correct)
- Attachment to substrate
- Strength in numbers
What is a unique feature of some cells in our bodies?
What is a unique feature of some cells in our bodies?
- They can divide indefinitely
- They can change their function
- They stop dividing and sometimes die (correct)
- They can only perform one function
What is the significance of controls on cell growth in development?
What is the significance of controls on cell growth in development?
What is the role of a specialised germline in multicellularity?
What is the role of a specialised germline in multicellularity?
What is the implication of multicellularity being lost as well as gained in phylogenetic analyses?
What is the implication of multicellularity being lost as well as gained in phylogenetic analyses?
What is the importance of an unbroken line of cell division from the origin of life?
What is the importance of an unbroken line of cell division from the origin of life?
What is the primary reason why most cells in an organism cease to divide?
What is the primary reason why most cells in an organism cease to divide?
What is the term used to describe cells that start to divide uncontrollably?
What is the term used to describe cells that start to divide uncontrollably?
What is the characteristic of most multicellular macro-organisms?
What is the characteristic of most multicellular macro-organisms?
What is the process by which intermediately multicellular organisms can come together?
What is the process by which intermediately multicellular organisms can come together?
What is the result of natural selection between cells in an organism?
What is the result of natural selection between cells in an organism?
What is the characteristic of unicellular organisms in relation to multicellular organisms?
What is the characteristic of unicellular organisms in relation to multicellular organisms?
What is the primary reason why cancer occurs in multicellular organisms?
What is the primary reason why cancer occurs in multicellular organisms?
What is the term used to describe the 'hallmarks of cancer'?
What is the term used to describe the 'hallmarks of cancer'?
What is the primary advantage of multicellularity, aside from increased size?
What is the primary advantage of multicellularity, aside from increased size?
What is a possible explanation for why multicellularity has been lost as well as gained in some lineages?
What is a possible explanation for why multicellularity has been lost as well as gained in some lineages?
What is the significance of some cells stopping division in our bodies?
What is the significance of some cells stopping division in our bodies?
What is the primary reason why being larger in size can be advantageous for predators?
What is the primary reason why being larger in size can be advantageous for predators?
What is the role of a germline in multicellularity?
What is the role of a germline in multicellularity?
Why is it not necessary to have multiple cells to be large?
Why is it not necessary to have multiple cells to be large?
What is the significance of an unbroken line of cell division from the origin of life?
What is the significance of an unbroken line of cell division from the origin of life?
Why do most cells in an organism cease to divide?
Why do most cells in an organism cease to divide?
What happens when mutations break the control on cell division?
What happens when mutations break the control on cell division?
What is a characteristic of intermediately multicellular organisms?
What is a characteristic of intermediately multicellular organisms?
What favors the cells that gain the 'hallmarks of cancer'?
What favors the cells that gain the 'hallmarks of cancer'?
What is a result of cells behaving like unicellular organisms again?
What is a result of cells behaving like unicellular organisms again?
What is a characteristic of most multicellular macro-organisms?
What is a characteristic of most multicellular macro-organisms?
Why do germ cells have a chance to go forward to the next generation?
Why do germ cells have a chance to go forward to the next generation?
What is the outcome of cells failing to respond to signals from the host organism?
What is the outcome of cells failing to respond to signals from the host organism?
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Study Notes
Multicellularity
- Multicellularity has been discovered independently by different lineages of plants, animals, slime moulds, etc.
- Phylogenetic analyses suggest that multicellularity has been lost as well as gained.
Advantages of Larger Size
- Protection: being larger means being safer from predators
- Attachment: being larger allows for better attachment to substrate
- Buffering: being larger provides a buffer against environmental changes
- Strength in numbers: being larger means being able to attack bigger prey or defend against predators
Importance of Specialisation
- Specialisation allows for efficiency in task allocation
- Specialised germline can be maintained to keep the genome as mutation-free as possible
Controls on Cell Growth
- Controls start in development and are an important part of it
- Cells can stop dividing and sometimes deliberately die, which is unprecedented for cells
- This control is not perfect and can be broken by mutations, leading to cancers
Multicellularity and Unicellularity
- There are organisms with lifestyles between unicellularity and multicellularity
- These organisms can come together by aggregation or by cells remaining associated with one another after cell division
Characteristics of Multicellular Macro-organisms
- Most are diploid
- Separate germline and soma very early in development
- Sexual and heterogametic, with separate sexes
Cancer
- Cancer occurs when a cell from a multicellular organism starts behaving like a unicellular organism again
- Natural selection between cells in the organism favours those cells that gain the 'hallmarks of cancer', leading to the organism's death in some cases
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