Introduction to Biology PDF

Jubelle F. Sison, RN THE SCIENCE OF BIOLOGY  LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Trace the History of Biology. Differentiate Basic Science from Applied Science. Identify the Branches of Biology Identify & describe the different Properties of Life Infer & justify if a thing is living...

Jubelle F. Sison, RN THE SCIENCE OF BIOLOGY  LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Trace the History of Biology. Differentiate Basic Science from Applied Science. Identify the Branches of Biology Identify & describe the different Properties of Life Infer & justify if a thing is living or not. Define & identify the steps of Scientific Method. Cite some scientific/real-life problems using scientific method. Make a Scientific/Research paper based on sample data gathered. CELLS (Structure and Function)  Cell Structure & Function http://koning.ecsu.ctstateu.edu/cell/cell.html Essential Question: What is the relationship between the structure and function of cell organelles? Some Random Cell Facts  The average human being is composed of around 100 Trillion individual cells!!!  It would take as many as 50 cells to cover the area of a dot on the letter “i” WOW!!!  Discovery of Cells  1665- English Scientist, Robert Hooke, discovered cells while looking at a thin slice of cork.  He described the cells as tiny boxes or a honeycomb  He thought that cells only existed in plants and fungi Anton Van Leuwenhoek  1673- Used a handmade microscope to observe pond scum & discovered single-celled organisms  He called them “animalcules”  He also observed blood cells from fish, birds, frogs, dogs, and humans  Therefore, it was known that cells are found in animals as well as plants 150-200 Year Gap???  Between the Hooke/Leuwenhoek discoveries and the mid 19th century, very little cell advancements were made.  This is probably due to the widely accepted, traditional belief in Spontaneous Generation.  Examples: -Mice from dirty clothes/corn husks -Maggots from rotting meat 19th Century Advancement ◼ Much doubt existed around Spontaneous Generation ◼ Conclusively disproved by Louis Pasteur Pasteur: Ummm, I don’t think so!!! ? = +  Development of Cell Theory  1838- German Botanist, Matthias Schleiden, concluded that all plant parts are made of cells  1839- German physiologist, Theodor Schwann, who was a close friend of Schleiden, stated that all animal tissues are composed of cells. Development of Cell Theory  1858- Rudolf Virchow, German physician, after extensive study of cellular pathology, concluded that cells must arise from preexisting cells. The Cell Theory 1) All living things are composed of one or more cells. 2) Cells are organisms’ basic units of structure and function. 3) Cells come only from existing cells. ARISTOTLE (FATHER OF BIOLOGY & ZOOLOGY) In the 4th century BC, Aristotle, an ancient Greek philosopher, approached the study of living organisms with systematic observation & analysis. Aristotle’s work encompassed a wide range of topics, including taxonomy, physiology & behavior of animals. His pioneering efforts in classifying animals based on their characteristics laid the groundwork for the science of Zoology.  CLAUDIUS GALEN (131-200 AD) Greek physician who describe the anatomy of the human body based on dissection of apes and pigs. He showed that arteries carry blood. His description contained many errors however, and were unchallenged for 1,300 years. ANDREAS VERSALIUS (1514-1564) Father of Modern Anatomy Made the first studies on Human Anatomy by dissecting corpses “De Humani Corporis Fabrica”. He pioneered the comparative approach, which is using other animals to know the function & organization of a particular anatomical part of the body.  WILLIAM HARVEY (1578 –1657) English physician who showed conclusively that heart pumps the blood & the blood circulates. He stimulated the development of anatomy by proving the principle that structure & function must be studied together. He gave an accurate account of the mechanism of the circulatory system.  ANTON VAN LEEUWENHOEK (1632 – 1723) A Dutch scientist often called the “Father of Microbiology” & the “Father of Cell Biology”. With the invention of microscope, Leeuwenhoek made ground breaking discoveries about microscopic life, including bacteria, protozoans & sperm cells. His observations of cells in various organisms played a crucial role in establishing cell theory, forming modern cell biology’s basis.  CAROLUS LINNAEUS (1707-1728) The 18th century Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus is celebrated as the “Father of Taxonomy” for developing the Binomial Nomenclature system for naming & classifying species. This system is still in use today, simplified the identification & categorization of organisms. GREGOR JOHANN MENDEL (1822 -1884) Father of Genetics Developed the Principles of Heredity by studying the variation and heredity of seven pairs of inherited characteristics in pea plants.  CHARLES DARWIN (1809 – 1882) The most prominent figure in the history of biology. His book “Origin of Species” (1859) presents the Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection. His work provided a unifying, organizing framework for the field of biology.  The discovery of DNA was a watershed moment in biology. James Watson, Francis Crick, Maurice Wilkins & Rosalind Franklin are credited with elucidating the double helix structure of DNA in 1953. Their groundbreaking work laid to the Foundation for Molecular Biology, revolutionizing genetics & our JAMES understanding of heredity. FRANCI WATSO S CRICK N Watson & Crick were not the discoverers of DNA rather the first scientists to formulate an accurate description of DNA. NATURAL SCIENCES Science includes such diverse fields as astronomy, biology, computer sciences, geology, logic, physics, chemistry & mathematics. However, those fields of science related to the physical world & its phenomena & processes are considered natural sciences. Natural sciences are sometimes referred to as “hard science” because they rely on the use of quantitative data; social sciences that study society and human behavior are more likely to use qualitative assessments to drive investigations and findings.  TWO TYPES OF SCIENCE BASIC SCIENCE & APPLIED SCIENCE Basic science or “pure” science seeks to expand knowledge regardless of the short-term application of that knowledge. It is not focused on developing a product or a service of immediate public or commercial value. The immediate goal of basic science is knowledge for knowledge’s sake, though this does not mean that, in the end, it may not result in a practical application.  Applied science or “Technology,” aims to use science to solve real-world problems, making it possible, for example, to improve a crop yield, find a cure for a particular disease, or save animals threatened by a natural disaster. In applied science, the problem is usually defined for the researcher. Applied science relies on the results generated through Basic science.  PROPERTIES OF LIFE All living organisms share several characteristics or functions: Order, Sensitivity or Response to the environment, reproduction, adaptation, growth & development, regulation, homeostasis & energy processing. When viewed together, these characteristics serve to define life.  ORDER Organisms are highly organized structures that consist of one or more cells. Even very simple, single-celled organisms are remarkably complex. Inside each cell, atoms make up molecules. These in turn make up cell components or organelles. Multicellular organisms, which may consist of millions of individual cells, have an advantage over single-celled organisms in that their cells can be specialized to perform specific functions, and even sacrificed in certain situations for the good of the organism as a whole. How these specialized cells come together to form organs such as the heart, lung, or skin in organisms like the toad,  SENSITIVITY OR RESPONSE TO STIMULI Organisms respond to diverse stimuli. For example, plants can bend toward a source of light or respond to touch. Even tiny bacteria can move toward or away from chemicals (a process called chemotaxis) or light (phototaxis). Movement toward a stimulus is considered a positive response, while movement away from a stimulus is considered a negative response.  SENSITIVITY OR RESPONSE TO STIMULI CHEMOTAXIS The stimulus is CHEMICALS PHOTOTAXIS The stimulus is LIGHT  REPRODUCTION When reproduction occurs, DNA containing genes is passed along to an organism’s offspring. These genes are the reason that the offspring will belong to the same species and will have characteristics similar to the parent, such as fur color and blood type.  ADAPTATION All living organisms exhibit a “fit” to their environment. Biologists refer to this fit as adaptation and it is a consequence of evolution by natural selection, which operates in every lineage of reproducing organisms. Adaptations are not constant. As an environment changes, natural selection causes the characteristics of the individuals in a population to track those changes Organisms grow and develop according to specific instructions coded for by their genes. These genes provide instructions that will direct cellular growth and development, ensuring that a species’ young will grow up to exhibit many of the same characteristics as its parents.  REGULATION Even the smallest organisms are complex and require multiple regulatory mechanisms to coordinate internal functions, such as the transport of nutrients, response to stimuli, and coping with environmental stresses  HOMEOSTASIS A condition in which the internal environment of the body remains relatively constant despite of the changes in external environment. EXAMPLE: Maintenance of body temperature and levels of glucose n the blood. Organisms are able to maintain internal conditions within a narrow range almost constantly, despite environmental changes, through a process called Polar bears and other mammals living in homeostasis or “steady state”—the ability of an ice-covered regions maintain their body organism to maintain constant internal conditions. temperature by generating heat and reducing heat loss through thick fur and a dense layer of fat under their skin.  ENERGY A lot of energy is required for a California condor to fly. Chemical energy derived from food is used to PROCESSING power flight. California condors are an endangered species; scientists have strived to place a wing tag on each bird to help them identify and locate each individual bird. All organisms (such as the California condor) use a source of energy for their metabolic activities. Some organisms capture energy from the sun and convert it into chemical energy in food; others use chemical energy from molecules they take in.