Introduction: Biology to Engineers

How many of you are interested to study biology?

Answer is probably very few of you.

Why engineers should also know the biology?

Heart as a Pump

Action Potentials in Cardiac

Muscle
Two types of channels in cardiac
muscles:
a. Fast sodium channels
b. Slow calcium channel.

Slow calcium-sodium channels close at the 02.-0.3 second,

Membrane permeability for potassium increases rapidly,
Rapid loss of potassium from muscle fiber returns
membrane potential to its resting level.
Heart as a Pump
 Eye and Camera

Lens and Image

But we do not see reverse image. Why?

Optic Chiasma
The optic chiasma is the part of the brain
where the optic nerves cross. The crossing
over of optic nerve fibres at the optic chiasm
allows the visual cortex to receive the
same visual field from both eyes.
Superimposing and processing these
monocular visual signals allow the visual
Human Eye cortex to generate vision.
 Eye and Camera

A cataract is a clouding of the

Cataracts
normally clear lens of your eye.
People who have cataracts, seeing
through cloudy lenses is a big
problem. Only option to remove the
cloudy lenses and replace with new
lenses.
 Kidney as a filtration device

Removal of toxic waste productions of metabolism from the

body like nitrogenous waste (urea & ammonia), CO2, bile
pigment
Nephron: 1,000,000 nephrons / kidney
Structural & functional units
Kidney as a filtration device
Brain and communication
Brain and communication Network

Electroencephalogram
(EEG): Electrodes are
placed on the surface of
the scalp and
record/amplify the
electrical signal given
off by the brain
 Chemistry in Biology: Biochemistry
Amino acids & Proteins Post translational modification:
Phosphorylation: Addition of one or more phosphate group
Elements Symbols %
Glycosylation: Addition of carbohydrate molecules
Oxygen O 65
Sulfation: Addition of sulphate molecules
Carbon C 18
Hydrogen H 10
Methylation: Transfer of one carbon methyl group to amino acid
Nitrogen N 3
Hydrixylation: Addition of hydroxyl group to proteins
Calcium Ca 1,5
Phosphorus P 1,0
Functional classification of proteins
Sulphur S 0,25 Structural Proteins: keratin, Collagen
Potassium K 0,2 Contractile proteins: Myosin, Actin
Sodium Na 0,15 Enzymes: Trypsin, Polymerases
Chlorine Cl 0,15 Transport proteins: Hemoglobin, Albumin
Magnesium Mg 0,05 Hormones: Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), Insulin
Others 0,75 Growth factor: EGF, NGF
Receptor: Insulin Receptor, LDL Receptor
Cardydrates

Functions:
Energy source: Starch, Glucose
Glycogen
Storage: Excess converted in fatty acids
RNA and DNA: Ribose and deoxyribose sugars
Cell signalling: Linked to proteins and lipids.
Structural elements: Cellulose, Chitin
Monosaccharide Disaccharide Polysaccharide
 Chemistry in Biology: Biochemistry
Fatty acids & Lipids
Fatty Acids Fats Biological importance of Fats
Fats are condensation products Storage as adipose tissue
Fatty acids are relatively simple lipids of fatty acids and glycerols (esters) Electrical insulator: Nerves
with the general formula Cell signalling: Lipoprotiens
CH3(CH2)nCOOH Transport: Lipid transport in blood
Carrier: Fat soluble vitamins
1. Saturated Structure: Biomembrane
2. Unsaturated

Nuclic acids (RNA & DNA)

Functions
Information storage
Replication
Codes for the proteins
Inheritance

Implication
Genetic Engineering
Human Genome
Gene editing
Gene therapy

Thus, all Biomecules are composition of few chemical elements which

are chemically modified and regulates all functions of the body.
 Physics in Biology: Biophysics
Examples: First law of thermodynamic (Ecosystem):
Information processes and stores in Brain. Energy is neither created nor destroyed, but
Electrical signals in your brain. can be transformed from one state to another.
Pumps of blood by Heart.
Muscles contraction.
Sun light and photosynthesis in plants.
Switch on and off of Genes.
First law of thermodynamic
Optical aspects of the human eye
Theory of hearing
Osmotic process
X-rays – Radiation biophysics
Biopolymers Metabolism converts food’s potential energy
to both work and heat energy.
Action Potential:
Neuron send signals to other neuron via
Resting potential.
Driving forces are due to electrical field
And concentration gradient.
 Biophysics: Healthcare Equipment
X-Rays ULTRASOUND:
X-Rays use high frequency electromagnetic waves to Sonography (ultrasonography) is an
pass through muscle and tissue to generate 3D ultrasound- based diagnostic medical
images of the body and if they’re passed through an imaging technique used to visualize
x-ray detector outside of the body they can also muscles, tendons, and many internal
detect shadows that indicate abnormalities. X-rays organs, to capture their size,
are best used to detect abnormalities like bone structure and any pathological
fractures and other abnormal masses, pneumonia, lesions with real time tomographic
calcifications, foreign objects, and dental problems. images.

MRI ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAM (EEG)

Electroencephalography is a technique that records the
MRI (magnetic resonance
electrical activity of the brain. During an EEG test, small
imaging) is a test uses a
electrodes like cup or disc type are placed on the scalp.
magnetic field and pulses of
They pick up the brain's electrical signals and send them
radio wave energy to make
to a machine called electroencephalogram. It records
pictures of organism and
the signals as wavy lines on to a computer screen or
structure inside the body.
paper.
EEG is mainly used when there is a need to diagnose and
manage epilepsy, head injuries, brain tumors,
haemorrhage.
Classical Biology New Biology

Thus, understanding the biology & applying your

knowledge of engineering will contribute to
develop new tools for health care and benefit to
society.