bio homework

Escherichia coli is a unicellular organism, so each cell must carry out all of the processes required for life.
Outline the functions of each of the structures in the cells of Escherichia coli.

The E.coli cells contain the cell wall which is made out of peptidoglycan which helps give the cell support
and protects it and it also has ribosomes which are the site for protein synthesis. Since it is a prokaryote it
has a nucleoid region which has the circular DNA present helps in binary fission. The movement of
materials is carried out with the help of the plasma membrane since the phospholipid bilayer has integral
and peripheral proteins . It also has the flagella which are these elongated structures that help in the
movement of cell whereas the pili found on the cell help with cell adhesion. It also has cytoplasm which is
where all the metabolic reactions take place cause of the presence of enzymes.

7/8

Describe the events that occur during mitosis.

There are four phases of mitosis - prophase, metaphase, anaphase, telophase. In prophase the DNA
supercoils and the chromatin condenses to become the two identical chromatids called sister chromatids
and the centromere joins them together. The two centrosomes move to the opposite ends of the nucleus
and the spindle fibres being to grown from them. In the metaphase the spindle fibres continue to elongate
from the centrosomes wheres as the chromosomes start lining up on the equator (centre of the cell) and
the fibres reach the chromosomes attach to the centromere. In anaphase the sister chromatids separate at
the centromere and the fibres being to shorten pulling the chromatids to the opposite poles. In telophase
the chromosomes arrive at the poles and start to de-condense. The fibres break down and formation new
nuclear membranes around the chromosomes.

8/8

Outline one therapeutic use of stem cells

Stem cells are unspecialised cells that can continuously divide and replicate and differentiate into any type
of cell. These can be extracted from the placenta or the embryo or the blood from the umbilical cord.
Leukaemia is cancer of the bone marrow or blood and mutations in genes cause high amount of abnormal
WBC's. The adult stem cells present in and can be retrieve from the bone marrow are called hematopoietic
stem cells. The abnormal cells are destroyed with chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Then the cells retrieved
and transfused back into the bone marrow and the stem cells (HSC's) can differentiate into healthy white
blood cells again.