Class 6

For class 6, we went over the cell membrane and its structure and function, and a little bit about our house case #1.

The cell membrane is a semi-permeable layer that acts as a "gate keeper" for the cell. It separates the interior of the cell form the outside environments. All living organisms, except viruses, have cell membranes. They can regulate what goes inside and out of the cell based on molecular size and if it is polar or non polar. Cell membranes are made up of thin layers called phospholipid bilayers. Proteins in the membrane transport molecules, chemicals, and information across it. Glycoproteins are important cell membrane proteins because they help with cell to cell recognition.
In animal cells, if the cell and the solution are not isotonic (reached equilibrium) then the cell membrane can burst if there is too much pressure. In plant cells, since there is a cell wall, if there is a lot of pressure exerting from the inside of the circle, the cell wall will exert equal pressure, and the cell membrane will not burst.

 

For House Case #1, we discussed as a class what we thought our diagnosis were. Mine were heat stroke, concussion, and sleep deprivation. We were able to ask Mr. Quick questions about the patient and his medical history. We were also able to request certain tests to be performed. At the end of the class, we were given the results and told for homework to figure out what the patient had. I suspected that he suffered from hyponatremia (over hydration). To read more about my house case #1 go onto my website- https://sites.google.com/site/tanyamalikhonbio/