In biology, a population is defined as the number of organisms of the same species that live in the same geographic area at the same time, being also able to interbreed. For this interbreeding to be possible, it is necessary that the individuals have the ability to mate with other members of the population and …
A plasmid is a piece of DNA, small and circular, that is not the same as chromosomal DNA since this one is the one that contains all the genetic material found in the chromosomes of an organism. It replicates separately from chromosomal DNA. These plasmids are mostly found in organisms like bacteria, but they have …
The three domains system is a classification used in biology that divides cellular life forms into three categories: archaea, bacteria, and eukaryote domains. It was introduced in 1977 by Carl Woese et al. One of its characteristics is that it points out the separation into two groups of the prokaryotes; Eubacteria (now called bacteria) and …
An anion gap blood test is used when we need to check the levels of acid in the blood. This test is based on the results of an electrolyte panel, another type of blood test. In blood, electrolytes are minerals that are electrically charged and their job is to help control the balance of chemicals …
A collection of individual organisms of the same species that live in a specific area is what is known as a population. But when we want to talk about how the number of individuals of a population changes over time, then we would use the term “population dynamics”. The reason why scientists and biologists pay …
Oxygen has the tendency to combine with hemoglobin quickly and reversible, but when certain changes in the environment occur, this affinity of oxygen molecules to hemoglobin can change. The Bohr effect is when this affinity of oxygen and hemoglobin is lowered due to a higher partial pressure of carbon dioxide and decreases in the pH …
The Bottleneck Effect or genetic bottlenecks happen when there’s an event that drastically reduces the number of individuals in a population. This can occur due to environmental events, for example, famines, disease, droughts, earthquakes, fires, etc., or human activities, such as genocide or wars. These types of events can reduce the gene pool of a …
Of the four tissue types we have in our bodies, connective tissue is the most abundant. The other three are nervous, muscle and epithelial tissue. Connective tissue develops from an embryonic type of tissue that is made up of undifferentiated cells known as mesoderm, and its main purpose is to give and maintain the structure …
An alveolar macrophage, also known as a dust cell, is a type of cell that is located in the pulmonary alveolus close to the pneumocytes, however it is separated from the wall. Their location is crucial because it is one of the main boundaries that separate the body from the outside, so the activity of …
Let’s get one thing straight: proteins are one of the most important substances in the human body. Your hair, eyes, muscles, organs, many hormones and enzymes are mostly made up of proteins. When your body tissues need to be repaired or maintenance, proteins are highly involved. But, not all proteins are the same, nor are …
