luke o neill

Cell Theory

A theory stating that all living things are made of cells, all cells arise from pre-existing cells, and cells can live alone as unicellular organisms or together as multicellular organisms.

Central Dogma Theory

A theory stating that DNA flows only in one direction from DNA to RNA to protein and does not reverse, and this applies to all living things.

Subcellular Structures

Structures within a cell that perform specific functions, such as the nucleus (contains DNA), Golgi apparatus (processes and packages proteins), lysosomes (break down biological polymers), and endoplasmic reticulum (involved in calcium storage and lipid metabolism).

Chemistry of Life

The arrangement of elements into complex chemicals that are essential for life, including purines (ATP and GTP), pyrimidines (DNA and RNA), amino acids (proteins), lipids (structure and energy), and carbohydrates (structure and energy).

Endosymbiosis

When one organism lives inside another organism, as seen in the relationship between mitochondria and eukaryotic cells, where mitochondria have their own DNA and resemble bacteria.

Multicellular Life

The evolution of organisms composed of multiple cells, leading to cell specialization and the development of different cell types and tissues.

Cell Specialization

The process by which cells differentiate and take on specific functions in multicellular organisms, resulting in the formation of different cell types and tissues.

Gene Expression

The process by which information from a gene is used to create a functional protein or RNA molecule, and different cells express different genes based on their specific functions.

Tissues

Groups of specialized cells that work together to perform a specific function, such as skin (fibroblasts, keratinocytes), muscle (smooth, skeletal, and cardiac muscle cells), and bone (osteoclasts, osteoblasts).

Evolution

The gradual change in species over time through random genetic variations and natural selection, leading to the development of diverse life forms on Earth.