Introduction to Bio 111

Introduction to Bio 111

• The course explores evolution, biological themes, and scientific inquiry
• The agenda covers cell theory, requirements of life, biological organization, principles of evolution, and the scientific method

Properties of Life

• Biology is the scientific study of life
• Key properties of life include: order, evolutionary adaptation, regulation, energy processing, growth and development, response to the environment, and reproduction

Order: Structure

• Organisms exhibit complex organization at various levels

Evolutionary Adaptation

• Organisms adapt to their environments over time through evolutionary changes

Regulation

• Organisms maintain stable internal conditions (homeostasis) through regulatory mechanisms, such as the circulatory system

Energy Processing

• Organisms obtain and use energy to power their life processes

Growth and Development

• Living things increase in size and complexity, following specific developmental pathways

Response to the Environment

• Organisms react to stimuli in their surroundings

Reproduction

• Living things reproduce to create new individuals of the species

Levels of Biological Organization

• The biosphere includes all life and its environments
• Ecosystems include all living and non-living components interacting in a specific area
• Communities are all the organisms inhabiting a specific ecosystem
• Populations are groups of individuals of the same species inhabiting a region where they can interbreed
• Organisms are individual living things
• Organs are body parts composed of multiple tissues, with specific functions
• Tissues are groups of cells with specific functions
• Cells are the fundamental units of structure and function of life
• Organelles are functional components inside cells

Organelles

• Specific functional parts of a cell include: Endoplasmic Reticulum, Mitochondria, Centrioles, Cytoskeleton, Cytosol/Cytoplasm, Plasma Membrane, Golgi Complex, Lysosome, Nucleus, Nucleolus

Molecules

• Molecules are chemical structures composed of two or more atoms, fundamental to life
• A molecule can have atoms of the same or different elements

Systems Biology

• Systems biology analyzes interactions between components in biological systems

Structure and Function

• Structure and function are central concepts in biology

The Cell

• All living organisms are made of cells, the basic unit of life
• Eukaryotic cells contain membrane-enclosed organelles and a nucleus
• Prokaryotic cells lack a nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles

DNA

• Genes are units of heredity encoded in DNA
• DNA is a double helix of nucleotides
• Transcription converts DNA into mRNA, which in turn directs protein synthesis

Genomics

• Genomics studies whole sets of genes in organisms
• Proteomics studies sets of proteins and their properties

Life Requires Energy and Matter Transfer

• Life requires the transfer and transformation of energy and matter
• Producers (photosynthetic organisms) convert energy from the sun into usable compounds
• Consumers feed on other organisms or their remains for energy

Energy Transformation Concepts

• Metabolism is the sum of all chemical changes in a living organism
• Homeostasis is the tendency toward a relatively stable equilibrium among interdependent elements in biological systems

Molecules: Interactions within Organisms

• Organisms regulate processes via feedback mechanisms
• An example of this is blood glucose regulation by insulin

Evolution: Unity and Diversity

• Evolution is the accumulation of differences in species over time (adaptations to environments)

Three Domains of Life

• Bacteria and Archaea are prokaryotic organisms
• Eukarya include organisms with eukaryotic cells divided into four kingdoms (plants, animals, fungi, protists)

Charles Darwin : Natural Selection

• Natural selection describes how traits are selected for survival and propagation, leading to adaptation

Scientific Study

• Scientific study involves inquiry, exploration, and observation, gathering and analyzing data, using inductive reasoning, and hypothesis formation to test proposed explanations
• A scientific experiment tests hypotheses under controlled conditions

Variables and Controls

• A controlled experiment compares experimental groups to control groups using variables:
• The independent variable is altered by researchers
• The dependent variable is measured for change

Theory

• A theory is a broad explanation supporting many hypotheses

Scientific Method

• The scientific method is systematic process for investigating inquiries involving hypothesis testing, data gathering, analysis, and conclusion-drawing.