BIO121 INTRODUCTION TO CELL BIOLOGY

Rafida Razali

Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 What Is Biology?

Biology is the scientific study of life or living organisms.

Biologists ask questions such as:

How a single cell develops into an organism?

How the human mind works?

How living things interact in communities?

Major Branches:

Botany The scientific study of the physiology, structure,

genetics, ecology, distribution, classification, and economic importance of plants.

Zoology The scientific study of the behaviour, structure,

physiology, classification, and distribution of animals.

Ecology The branch of biology that deals with the relations of

organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings.

1.2 Branches In Biology

Genetics The study of heredity and the variation of inherited characteristics.

Microbiology The branch of science that deals with microorganisms.

Biotechnology The exploitation of biological processes for industrial and other purposes.

Taxonomy The subdisipline of identifying, naming, and classifying organisms.

Organized Structure (order)

- This close up of a

sunflower illustrates

that the highly

organized structure

that characterizes life.

1.3 Characteristics Of Life

Composed of Cells

- All organisms is made up

of the smallest structural

and functional unit called

cell. Some organisms are

made up of single cell

such as Paramecium.

Feed

- A West Indies manatee (Trichechus manatus) in Florida is feeding on water hyacinth, an introduced species.

Respire

- Human inhale in order to take the oxygen from the outside air to the cells within tissues, and exhale, giving off the carbon dioxide.

Growth and Development

- Inherited information carried by genes

controls the pattern

of growth and

development

of organisms.

Locomotion

- Animals have the ability to move as it is essential for survival such as a zebra run away from being catch by the lion.

Homeostasis

- The regulation of blood

flow through the blood

vessels of this

jackrabbit’s ears helps

maintain a constant

body temperature by

adjusting heat exchange

with the surrounding air.

Response to Surrounding

- This Venus flytrap

closed its trap rapidly

in response to the

environmental

stimulus of a

damselfly landing on the open trap.

Evolutionary Adaptation

- The appearance of this

pygmy sea horse

camouflages the animal in

its environment. Such

adaptations evolve over

many generations by the reproductive success

of those individuals with heritable traits that

are best suited to their environment.

Excrete Their Waste

- Living things excrete to remove the metabolic wastes from their body.

Reproduce

- Organisms (living things)

reproduce their own

kind. Here an emperor

penguins protect its

baby.