{Pause} for revision and definitions.
What's an organelle?
What's cytoskeleton?
What's ribosome?
What's ER?
Can you name any amino acids? Scroll down for the list.
Next week, Chapter 7!
Monday 5 March 2012
Chapter 6: The nucleus, and how ribosomes are made
Let's find some answers to the following questions by reading Ellen McHenry's Cells:
'The membrane surrounding the nucleus is twice as thick as the cell's plasma membrane'. (Why?)
'ER [endoplasmic reticulum] that has ribosomes stuck to it is called rough ER'.
(Is there a smooth ER?*)
'The nucleus is filled with a fluid similar to the cytoplasm found in the rest of the cell'.
(What is this fluid called?)
'How much DNA is there in the nucleus?'
(That's a good question.)
'DNA is covered with enzymes and chaperone proteins'.
(Then why do artists leave them out of the drawings?)
'Ribosomes are made of two halves'.
(Are they equal in size?)
The upshot is... Ribosomes are incredibly versatile (like your mother). They can do many jobs, like making proteins, synthesizing enzymes, and cooking dinner while dancing to Duran Duran.
Now watch How DNA is packaged.
Search on ribosome in youtube and watch some videos about this extraordinary bit of body kit. (More my level. Dramatic cartoon reenactment of a wandering ribosome with a lot of gnaaarr and aarggh. )
* Yes. From Wiki: 'Rough endoplasmic reticula are involved in the synthesis of proteins and is also a membrane factory for the cell, while smooth endoplasmic reticula is involved in the synthesis of lipids, including oils, phospholipids and steroids, metabolism of carbohydrates, regulation of calcium concentration and detoxification of drugs and poisons.'
**RNA - Ribonucleic acid. One of three molecules (the other two are DNA and proteins) that are essential for life.
Let's find some answers to the following questions by reading Ellen McHenry's Cells:
'The membrane surrounding the nucleus is twice as thick as the cell's plasma membrane'. (Why?)
'ER [endoplasmic reticulum] that has ribosomes stuck to it is called rough ER'.
(Is there a smooth ER?*)
'The nucleus is filled with a fluid similar to the cytoplasm found in the rest of the cell'.
(What is this fluid called?)
'How much DNA is there in the nucleus?'
(That's a good question.)
'DNA is covered with enzymes and chaperone proteins'.
(Then why do artists leave them out of the drawings?)
'Ribosomes are made of two halves'.
(Are they equal in size?)
The upshot is... Ribosomes are incredibly versatile (like your mother). They can do many jobs, like making proteins, synthesizing enzymes, and cooking dinner while dancing to Duran Duran.
Now watch How DNA is packaged.
Search on ribosome in youtube and watch some videos about this extraordinary bit of body kit. (More my level. Dramatic cartoon reenactment of a wandering ribosome with a lot of gnaaarr and aarggh. )
* Yes. From Wiki: 'Rough endoplasmic reticula are involved in the synthesis of proteins and is also a membrane factory for the cell, while smooth endoplasmic reticula is involved in the synthesis of lipids, including oils, phospholipids and steroids, metabolism of carbohydrates, regulation of calcium concentration and detoxification of drugs and poisons.'
**RNA - Ribonucleic acid. One of three molecules (the other two are DNA and proteins) that are essential for life.
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