Embryonic Stem Cells Essay

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Living organisms are made from cells. There are two types of cells: Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic. Prokaryotic cells do not contain a nucleus or membrane bound organelles. Eukaryotic cells are more complex because they contain both. Plants and animals are made from eukaryotic cells, but they are different. Plants have a cell wall that provides more structure and the also have chloroplasts that help them carry out photosynthesis. Animal cells have neither of these. Stem cells are a unique type of animal cell that have no specialty. They are being used in breakthrough research to treat cancer and other chronic diseases. There are two types of stem cells embryonic and adult. Embryonic stem cells have the ability to become any type of cell; therefore, they are the most useful. Adult stem cells are tissue specific, meaning that they can become any type of cell pertaining to one specific part of the human body. Viruses are made out of nucleic acids and are extremely small. They are nonliving, but they infect living hosts. They have two cycles: the lytic cycle, where they take over and kill host cells by injecting their DNA into the hosts genetic code, and they lysogenic cycle, in which their DNA is integrated into the host cells DNA, but lays dormant. Cancer cells are normal human cells that rapidly divide and mutate, creating a cell that never dies and reproduces uncontrollably. Cancers cells form masses called malignant tumors that invade the human body and stop it from functioning normally. The different types of cells and their functions differentiate all forms of life. Cell division allows life forms to grow. Mitosis is the division of somatic cells that results in two genetically identical diploid daughter cells. Interphase, prophase, metaphase, anaphase, telophase, and cytokinesis are the six phases in mitosis. Meiosis is the division of two gametes that produce four genetically varied haploid daughter cells. Meiosis has ten phases split into two parts. The four daughter cells are different because they experience crossing over during prophase one. Crossing over, or homologous recombination is the random exchange of genetic information. All life has DNA, RNA, and proteins. DNA, deoxyribonucleic acid, is a double stranded nucleic acid that holds all the genetic information for life. It makes us act and look the way we do. DNA contains for bases: adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine, that combine to form around three billion base pairs in the human genome. DNA has a sugar and phosphate backbone with a nitrogenous base connected by a covalent bond. DNA replicates by unzipping with the help of DNA helicase and the single strand of DNA acts as a template for the new DNA. RNA is also a nucleic acid, but it contains a single strand of ribonucleic acid, not double stand …show more content…
Life is much more that just the quality of being alive. Living things are defined by six characteristics and are classified based on their evolutionary history. Living things are made of the 118 elements in the periodic table. Biomolecules are a part of every living organism. They have evolved over billions of years to become many different species and have unique traits to help them survive. The movement of carbon throughout the environment is mainly due to photosynthesis and cellular respiration. These provide energy, oxygen, and carbon dioxide to plants and animals. Organisms are organized with cells and with in those cells, DNA. This organization provides all the genetic information and structure for the organism. The different types of cells change the way the organisms move and get their energy. The division of cells allows the to grow and reproduce. Mitosis is the division of body cells and meiosis is the division of sex cells. The replication of DNA aids in the process of cell division. Protein synthesis is the translation of DNA to proteins using the three types of RNA. Genetic information is passed through generations because of inheritance. The different types of inheritance allow the creation of many different phenotypes and genotypes. Humans impacts the environment because the large amounts of greenhouse gases we produce change the way animals live in their environments. There are many factors that produce living organisms and allow them to live in their

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