Cell Analogy

Question 1

Cell Membrane - the thin layer of protein and fat that surrounds the cell. The cell membrane is partially-permeable, allowing some substances to pass into the cell and blocking others.

Cytoplasm - the jellylike material outside the cell nucleus in which the organelles are located

Golgi Apparatus - a flattened, layered, sac-like organelle that looks like a stack of pancakes and is located near the nucleus. It produces the membranes that surround the lysosomes. The Golgi apparatus packages proteins and carbohydrates into membrane-bound vesicles for "export" from the cell.

Nucleolus - an organelle within the nucleus - it is where ribosomal RNA is produced. Some cells have more than one nucleolus.

Nucleus - spherical body containing many organelles, including the nucleolus. The nucleus controls many of the functions of the cell and contains DNA found in chromosomes. The nucleus is surrounded by the nuclear membrane.

Ribosome - small organelles composed of RNA-rich cytoplasmic granules that are sites of protein synthesis.

Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum - a vast system of interconnected sacks that are located in the cell's cytoplasm (the ER is continuous with the outer nuclear membrane). Rough ER is covered with ribosomes that give it a rough appearance. Rough ER transports materials through the cell and produces proteins in sacks called cisternae, which are sent to the Golgi apparatus, or inserted into the cell membrane.

Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum - a vast system of interconnected tubes that are located in the cell's cytoplasm. The ER is continuous with the outer nuclear membrane. Smooth ER transports materials through the cell. It contains enzymes and produces and digests lipids (fats) and membrane proteins, smooth ER buds off from rough ER, moving the newly-made proteins and lipids to the Golgi apparatus, lysosomes, and membranes.

Vacuole - fluid-filled, membrane-surrounded cavities inside a cell. The vacuole fills with food being digested and waste material that is on its way out of the cell.

Lysosome - (also called cell vesicles) are round organelles surrounded by a membrane and containing digestive enzymes. This is where the digestion of cell nutrients takes place.

Mitochondrion - spherical to rod-shaped organelles with a double membrane. The inner membrane is infolded many times, forming a series of projections called cristae. The mitochondrion converts the energy stored in glucose into ATP (adenosine triphosphate) for the cell.

Question 2

If i could create a new function...

I would make the cell an automatic water-producing cell.

The part of the cell that would be responsible for the creation of water is the CYTOPLASM! As we all know, the cytoplasm does not have a really important function. Therefore, we should help it feel more useful so as not to hurt the cytoplasm's feelings. It has a really fragile heart.

Ok anyway, we often hear that people suffer from dehydration, or they don't drink enough water which leads to kidney failure or whatnots. The ultimate cause of these problems is that they lack WATER!

This function will work only when oxygen is present, that is, when the person is breathing. It will not work on a dead person unless the dead person happens to be still breathing. Which i don't think is possible.

MY NEW AND HIGHLY-ACCLAIMED SPECIAL EQUATION:

Oxygen ( from breathing) + Hydrogen( from somewhere?) = Water ( Good stuff)

Now, with this new function in cells, unprivilledged children from third world countries where there is a lack of fresh and clean water to drink do not have to worry anymore! Water is free just like how air is free! yay, what a wonderful world...

Haha, now as long as a person is breathing, he/she will be hydrated all day long!

Starfishes

Interesting Facts about Starfishes!

There are about 1,800 living species of starfishes, which are also known as sea stars, and they can be found in all of the Earth's oceans. The greatest variety of sea stars are found in the tropical Indo-Pacific. Areas known for their great diversity include the tropical-temperate regions around Australia, the tropical East Pacific, and the cold-temperate water North Pacific.

Sea stars do not have movable skeletons, but instead possess a hydraulic water vascular system. The water vascular system has many projections called tube feet, located on the face of the sea star's arms, which function in locomotion and aid with feeding.

The mouth is located underneath the sea star on the oral or ventral surface, while the anus is located on the top of the animal.

Most starfish have five arms, however some have more or less. In fact some starfish can have different numbers of arms even within one species. Some species of sea star have the ability to regenerate lost arms and can regrow an entire new arm!

Sea stars have a simple photoreceptor eyespot at the end of each arm. The eye is able to "see" only differences of light and dark, which is useful in detecting movement.

Sea stars are capable of both sexual and asexual reproduction. Individual sea stars are either male or female. Fertilization takes place externally, with both male and female releasing their gametes into the environment. Some species of sea star also reproduce asexually by fragmentation, often with part of an arm becoming detached and eventually developing into an independent individual sea star.

A sea star arm can only regenerate into a whole new organism if some of the central ring of the sea star is part of the chopped off arm. The regeneration of these stars is possible due to the vital organs kept in their arms.

How interesting! :D i love starfishes!

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