Organ Systems Revisit - (1/23 - 1/27)

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Summary:

     Humans have several organ systems that help them function. Some organ systems humans have that help them function are: the Skeletal, Muscular, Digestive, Respiratory, Nervous, Circulatory, Urinary, and Immune System. Many animals have these organ systems, often modified to fit their environment/needs. One example of an animal that has organ systems similar to a human is a bird. A bird's respiratory system is similar to a human, but modified a little bit to fit the bird's needs. Since birds are doing many activities such as flying, they a lot of oxygen. Air sacs are sacks that are connected to the lungs that provide more oxygen to the bird. Other than the air sacs, the bird's respiratory system is very similar to a human's respiratory system. This is an example of how an animal's organ system is similar to that of a human but modified..

SP6 - Constructing Explanations:

     This week I constructed an explanation of how some of my super villain's organ systems had similar features of a bird's organ systems. I did this for four types of organ systems which were the Respiratory, Circulatory, Skeletal, and Integumentary (skin) system. Mainly, I explained that my super villain's organs had split apart or merged together to create organs similar to a bird. Case in point: the Respiratory System. I explained that the cells making the human lungs split apart into air sacs to provide the villain with more air for flight. The remnants of the original lungs are now smaller, similar to a bird's lungs. With the Integumentary System, I explained that there was a lot of blood flowing to the skin. Due to this event occurring, oil glands produce more oil and hair grows a lot faster. Groups of hair are then glued together by the oil, making something that is similar to feathers. These are two examples of what I did to explain how my villain's organ systems turned to nefarious mode.

XCC - Structure and Function:

     One structure and function relationship was in the skeletal system of the bird I was studying this week. The bones of the bird are nearly hollow, which makes them very light. Since these bones are light, the bird is significantly lighter in comparison to a bird with no hollow bones, allowing it to fly in the air. Another structure and function relationship within the organs of the bird that give it the ability to fly is the respiratory system. The respiratory system is made up of several air sacs connected to the lungs. This allows a higher oxygen supply to the bird, which also helps give it the ability to fly. 

GMOs and Mutations - (1/9 - 1/13)

Image Source: https://goo.gl/YanBPI

Summary:

     Mutations and GMOs are the two main ways that DNA can change. Mutations are accidental changes in DNA. Mutations can come from internal factors such as errors when copying DNA or external factors such as radiation. Mutations can be helpful meaning that it benefits you, neutral meaning that it doesn't really do anything, and harmful, meaning that the mutation can possibly harm or kill you. Mutations are one way that you can change DNA. Another way people change DNA is through GMOs. GMO stands for genetically modified organism. It is when an organism, typically a plant or animal has modified DNA so it is immune to a certain type of disease, durable against weather, etc. There are many methods as to changing an organism's DNA. The Gene Gun is a type of gun that shoots the DNA into the organism's tissue using gold particles. Another method is using vectors. Vectors are viruses with modified DNA in them. When the virus is injected into the body, it will put the modified DNA into yours to give the body new instructions.

SP6 - Constructing Explanations: 

     This week I constructed an explanation of how my superhero got his powers through explaining how GMOs work. My superhero was genetically modified to have similar traits to a chameleon (blending, tail, etc.) when scientists were experimenting with genetically modified humans. My superhero had restriction enzymes put in him which cut out a part of his DNA. He was then injected with the DNA of a chameleon that gives the chameleon its blending, tail, 360 eyes, etc. to replace the cropped out DNA. Once the new DNA replaced the old, cropped out one, it was stitched with an enzyme called DNA ligase. Once the procedure was done, he was going to have similar traits to a chameleon. This is what I explained to show how my superhero was genetically modified to have the similar traits of a chameleon. 

XCC - Stability and Change:   

     One system that I identified that relates to Stability and Change is with DNA and cells. The DNA is the basic blueprints for life. It works with the cell to make an organism function. Some parts of the DNA can turn on and off to make different kinds of cells which do different jobs. Despite mutations happening all the time, it is usually unnoticed and stable, but can go unstable. In both an internal and external mutation, the DNA is changed to function differently. This can be harmful, helpful, or neutral. Mutations occur when there is a wrong base pairing (substitution), an extra letter appears in a DNA base pair (insertion) or when one letter in a DNA base pair goes away (deletion). The chromosomes which store the DNA can also duplicate in amount (duplication). Part of the DNA code can also be deleted (deletion), reversed (inversion), or be in a different area in the code (translocation). GMOs can also change the way DNA works. This is how DNA which is most of the time stable can go unstable. 

Determining Offspring - (1/3 - 1/6)

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Summary: 

     The Punnett Square is used to determine what phenotypes and genotypes an offspring will receive from their parents. This square is made up of a 2 x 2 grid with the genotypes at the top and left of the grid. To use the Punnett Square select a trait to begin with. Then put one parents genotype for that trait above the Punnett Square and the other parents genotype to the left of the square. Make sure each letter in their genotype aligns with a square. Then, to fill the square, simply take one letter that is aligned with that square and put it inside it. Then take another letter that is aligned with it and put that in the square. Do this for each square in the Punnett Square and now you have a table full of genotypes that will determine the probability of the offspring getting that trait.

SP6 - Constructing Explanations: 

     I constructed an explanation of what the offspring of my superhero, Invisib-blend and Black Widow would look like. To do this, I used a sheet prior to this activity that determined Invisi-blend and Black Widow's genotypes for each trait. Using that sheet, I filled in 10 Punnett Squares to determine what traits the offspring will receive from each parent. I found out that the offspring of Black Widow and Invisi-blend will have a tail, 360 vision, claws, no scales, red hair, stronger immunity, but will not be fast or blend in. The child is also a tactician. The last two things that I determined were the superhero status and the gender. I found out with the Punnett square that the offspring will be a male villain.

XCC - Structure and Function:

     One structure and function system I found was with a simple DNA strand. The structure of DNA supports its function by staying compact. If a single DNA strand were to be stretched to its maximum size, it would stretch to 9 meters, or about 10 feet. However, that is not the case, as DNA is shortened down into an extremely compact size smaller than a cell. Since the DNA structure is extremely small, it could work to its maximum efficiency since it isn't bigger than the cell it is. That same cell can easily retrieve it for instructions on what to do, when and how to replicate, etc. This is how DNA's structure supports its function.