EARTH AND LIFE SCIENCE REVIEWER

INTRODUCTION TO LIFE SCIENCE

> THEORIES ON THE ORIGIN OF LIFE

1. Divine Creation Theory

- It states that life was created by a supernatural being.

- It is based on the bible from “The book of Genesis”

2. Biogenesis

- It states that life came from living things.

- It is the development of life from pre-existing life.

3. Abiogenesis or Spontaneous Generation Theory

- It states that living things could directly evolved from non-living matter.

- This theory was disproved by Louis Pasteur through a scientific experiment.

4. Marine Theory

- It states that first form of life was formed under the sea

- The blue-green algae or a cyanobacterium was the first organism to colonize the earth.

5. Cosmozoic or Interplanetary Theory

- It states that life was in the form of a resistant spore originated from some source in the universe.

6. Physio-Chemical Theory

- It states that life was formed by the combination of elements.

- Hydrogen atom combine with Oxygen atom to form water molecule, then the water molecule
combined with carbon to form carbohydrates

7. Evolution by Charles Darwin

- It is the process by which changes in living organisms happen over time.

> CHARACTERISTICS OF LIFE

• All living things are made up of cells.

• All living things have form and structure ( e.g. size, shape).

• All living things are able to respond to stimuli (e.g. thigmotropism, geotropism).

• All living things acquire and utilize energy ( e.g. photosynthesis, respiration).

• All living things have the ability to reproduce ( sexual and asexual reproduction).
 • All living things can adapt or adjust to their environment.

• All living things have a chemical component in their body ( inorganic compounds, organic
compounds).

• All living things exhibit growth and development by intussusception

• All living things exhibit metabolism (anabolism , catabolism)

• All living things possess a genetic program and the means to use it.

> LEVELS OF BODY ORGANIZATION

1. Chemical level

- atom is the smallest particle of an element.

- Molecules are groups of atoms joined together by molecular bonds

2. Cellular level

- Organelles refers to the tiny organs inside the cell.

- Cell is the basic structural and functional unit of life.

3. Tissue level

- Tissue is a collection of cells performing a specific function.

4. Organ level

- Organ is a group of tissue that performs a specific function.

5. System level

- Organ system is a group of organs that has the same function.

- Organism refers to an individual living thing either plant or animal

> LEVELS OF ECOLOGICAL ORGANIZATION

1. Population – is a group of similar organisms living in the place at the same time.

2. Community – is a group of population that live together in a defined area.

3. Ecosystem – is composed of biotic and abiotic factors.

4. Biosphere – refers to all the ecosystem on earth

THE CELL

• Cytology- study of cells

• 1665 English Scientist Robert Hooke

• Used a microscope to examine cork (plant)

• Hooke called what he saw "Cells"

CELL HISTORY

> Robert Brown

- discovered the nucleus in 1833.

> Matthias Schleiden

- German Botanist Matthias Schleiden

- 1838

- ALL PLANTS "ARE COMPOSED OF CELLS".

> Theodor Schwann

- Also in 1838,

- discovered that animals were made of cells

> Rudolf Virchow

- 1855, German Physician

- " THAT CELLS ONLY COME FROM OTHER CELLS".

- His statement debunked "Theory of Spontaneous Generation" 

: The COMBINED work of Schleiden, Schwann, and Virchow make up the modern CELL THEORY.

THE CELL THEORY STATES THAT:

1. All living things are composed of a cell or cells.

2. Cells are the basic unit of life.

3. All cells come from preexisting cells.

> CELL DIVERSITY

• Cells within the same organism show Enormous Diversity in:

– Size

– Shape

– Internal Organization
 1. Cell Size

- Female Egg - largest cell in the human body; seen without the aid of a microscope

- Most cells are visible only with a microscope.

2. Cell Shape

- Diversity of form reflects a diversity of function.

- THE SHAPE OF A CELL DEPENDS ON ITS FUNCTION.

3. Internal Organization

Cell membrane Cytoplasm

Prokaryotic Cell Cell membrane

Cytoplasm

Eukaryotic Cell Nucleus

Organelles

( PROKARYOTIC – ONLY BACTERIA )

EUKARYOTIC CELLS

Two kinds: Plant and Animal

Animal Cells Plant Cells

Cell membrane
Ribosomes
Nucleus
Endoplasmic reticulum
Golgi apparatus Cell Wall
Centrioles
Lysosomes Chloroplasts
Vacuoles
Mitochondria
CELL TYPES Cytoskeleton
Eukaryotic

1. Contains a nucleus and other membrane bound organelles.

2. Rod shaped chromosomes

3. Found in all kingdoms except the Eubacteria and Archae bacteria

4. Have a Nucles and Membrane bound Organelles

Prokaryotic

1. Does not contain a nucleus or other membrane bound organelles.

2. Circular chromosome

3. Found only in the Eubacteria and Archaebacteria Kingdoms

4. No Nucleus

5. No Membrane Bound

CELL STRUCTURE

> THREE MAJOR PARTS OF CELL

– CELL MEMBRANE/ PLASMA MEMBRANE/ PLASMALEMMA

– CYTOPLASM

– NUCLEUS

= PLASMA MEMBRANE

– Semi-permeable membrane

– Made up of phospholipid bilayer, fats, carbohydrates and protein materials.

– Support and give shapes to cell.

– Acts as receptor sites.

= CELL WALL

– The external boundary outer cell membrane that located in plants only. It consists of
cellulose structure and other substances that protect the plants from invading pathogenic
organisms as well as to prevent dryness.

= CYTOPLASM

– located outside the nucleus, inside the cell membrane. It composed of a jelly-like
substance known as cytosol also contains organelles and inclusions. Cell expansion, growth,
metabolic activities and cell replication are main functions of cytoplasm.
 – The cytosol is the semi- transparent fluid in which cytoplasmic organelles and particles are
suspended. It is one of the major cellular components that give structural support and
holds the organelles inside the cell.

= CYTOPLASMIC ORGANELLES

– An organelle is a membrane – enclosed with specialized subunit that located inside the cell
performed individual task. Individual organelle usually enclosed within its own lipid
bilayers. Each little organ that suspended in the cytoplasm has its own structural
characteristics.

= RIBOSOMES

- Ribosomes are small rounded dark bodies which composed of ribosomal proteins and
ribonucleic acids.
- They are the one which connect amino acids together to form long chains of protein.
- builders of protein materials and responsible for protein synthesis.

=ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM

- A network or interconnected of tubes and flattened sacs, extending in the entire cytoplasm
and channels, membranous tube-like structure known as cisternae.
- Highway/Post office of the cel
 Rough endoplasmic reticulum

- o Composed of network flattened membranous tubes containing ribosomes stud on outer

surface. It involved in manufacturing protein materials, protein folding, and site of protein
synthesis.

 Smooth endoplasmic reticulum

- o It consists of network tubular sacs that lacking of ribosomes on its surface. Its
function responsible to detoxify drugs, manufacturing lipids, carries carbohydrates, lipids
and non-protein materials.

= GOLGI APPARATUS/ GP:GOE BODES/ DICTYSOSOME

- It is made up stacks of flattened membranous sacs carrying the protein from rough
endoplasmic reticulum to the outside of part of the cell. It packages (vesicles) and secreted
proteins.
- Packaging center of the cell.

= MITOCHONDRIA

- Powerhouse of the cell

- Site for synthesizing of Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP)
- Parts: Outer and Inner membrane, cristae and matrix.
- A sausage shape like organelle consider as the sites for cellular respiration.

= VACUOLES
 - For storage of materials and water, releasing of cellular waste products, maintaining hydrostatic
pressure. The vacuole in plants is large that plays a vital role in turgor pressure and serves as
for the storage of water. The vacuole in animals is small for the storage of food products.

= LYSOSOMES

- “scavenger of the cell” or “suicidal bag of the cell”

- contain strong hydrolytic enzymes and use by the cell to digest macromolecules.
- The digested products can reuse again by the cell for the synthesis of cellular materials.

= GLYCOCALYX

- is known as the Cell Coat that located in the outer part of cell membrane of animal cell, its
functions for cell recognition and cellular adhesion. It is also responsible for tissue
organization.

= PEROXISOMES

- are membranous sacs that containing oxidative enzymes for the function of detoxifying harmful
substance.

= CYTOSKELETON

- It is composed of collective network of protein filamentous, thread- like structure called

microtubules, microfilaments which produce a strong ability to support and maintain the cell
shape. It is the fundamental framework of the cytoplasm containing protein filament that
assist for the organelles to move inside.

= PLASTIDS

- The largest, rounded membranous organelles that contain DNA usually located in plant
cell for coloring pigments in plants. A double-membranous structure enclosed by a
thylakoid membrane.

> TYPES OF PLASTIDS

A. Chloroplastids – green pigment

B. Chromoplastids- colored pigment like red, yellow and orange

b.1. Carotenoids - orange pigment

b.2. Anthocyanin - red, purple or blue pigment

b.3. Anthoxanthin - white, creamy, yellow pigment

b.4. Xanthophyll - yellow pigment

C. Leucoplastids- white and colorless pigment

c.1. Amyloplasts – stored starch grains

c.2. Proteinoplasts- stored protein

c.3. Elaioplasts- stored oil substance

= CENTRISOMES AND CENTRIOLES

- The centriole is a small, fibrous structure and cylindrical shape located near the nucleus.
- Inside the centrosome of an animal cell is a pair of centrioles which replicate as the cell
divides. Centrioles are mostly present in animal cells but absent in plants even also fungi.

= NUCLEUS

PARTS:

NUCLEAR ENVELOPE - Consists of two-membranous layered w/c surrounded the entire Nucleus and
serves as a boundary to separates the nuclear material from the cytoplasm and nuclear membrane
controls the continuous flow of materials inside and outside the nucleus.

NUCLEOPLASM - containing fluid substance that suspended in the internal part forming the
protoplasm of the nucleus also known

as Karyoplasm.

NUCLEOULUS - containing Ribosomal Nucleic Acid (RNA) which rich of protein

materials for the protein synthesis and carrying hereditary traits.

CHROMOSOMES - It

contains genetic materials known as DNA that embedded inside the

chromosomes. It is also bounded protein which serves as packaging for deoxyribonucleic acid
(DNA) and controls the hereditary characteristics.

= FLAGELLA: are cytoplasmic projections that extend from surface of cell; covered by plasma
membrane; many single-celled organisms use them for propulsion and other function of flagella for
cell locomotion.

= CILIA: are relatively short projections that extend from the surface of cell and allowing the materials to
move on surface of some tissues in form of waves.

CELL ORGANELLES

> Organelle = “little organs”

- Specialized structures that perform specific jobs in the cell

- Found only in eukaryotic cells

- Many are “membrane-bound” (a membrane surrounds the organelle)

- All the stuff in between the organelles is cytosol

- Everything in a cell except the nucleus is cytoplasm

CELL MEMBRANE

- Surrounds the cell and decides what comes in and out

- Semi-permeable: allows nutrients in and waste products out

- Made of a phospholipid bilayer

- Also called Plasma Membrane

> Factory Part:

- Gates or Doors

= Found in:

- Plant cells

- Animal cells

- Prokaryotic cells

= NUCLEUS

- Control center of the cell

- Stores DNA (chromosomes)
- Surrounded by the nuclear membrane
- Pores let material in and out
- Also contains the Nucleolus, which makes ribosomes

= RIBOSOME

- Smallest organelle

- NOT surrounded by a membrane

- Makes proteins according to DNA instructions.

> Two Types:

: Free ribosomes: float free in cytosol

: Bound ribosomes: attached to rough ER

= ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM

-Transport system for materials in cell

> Two Types:

: Rough ER: covered with ribosomes; site of protein synthesis

: Smooth ER: NO ribosomes; it makes hormones & lipids

 = GOLGI APPARATUS

- Delivery system of the cell

- Collects, modifies, and packages molecules in the cell

- Distributes and transports molecules in vesicles

= CHLOROPLAST

- Site of photosynthesis

- Changes sunlight energy into chemical energy (glucose)

- Contains green pigment, chlorophyll

- Found only in plant cells and algae

= CELL WALL

- Rigid, protective barrier (maintains cell shape)

- Found in plant and bacterial cells

- Located outside of the cell membrane

- Made of cellulose (Carbohydrate fiber)

= VACUOLES

- Storage tank

- Holds water, food, enzymes, wastes, etc

- Large central vacuole usually in plant cells: Supports cell shape in plants

- Many smaller vacuoles in animal cells

Cell City Analogy

Cell Organelles City Analogies

Cell Membrane - City border

Cell Wall - City Wall

Cytoplasm - Lawns

Endoplasmic Reticulum - Highway or road system

Ribosomes - Lumber or brick yard

Golgi Bodies - Post Office or UPS

Chloroplasts - Solar Energy Plants

Nuclear Membrane - City Hall Fence with security guard

Mitochondria - Energy Plants

Nucleus - City Hall

DNA - Original Blueprints or the city

RNA - Copies of Blueprints

Nucleolus - Copy Machine

Lysosomes - Waste Disposal/ Recyclers

Vacuole - Warehouses, water towers or garbage dumps

Protoplasm - Air or atmosphere

Chromosomes - Rolled up blueprints

Proteins - Lumber or bricks