The field of genetics is constantly evolving and producing more information as research leads to more evidence of what exactly is happening in our bodies at the molecular level. The idea of genetics and DNA is still fairly young and much has yet to be discovered. When Mendel discovered inheritance traits, he had to physically visualize the changes of the pea plants. With the technology available today, we are capable of rendering 3D depictions of DNA and proteins with the click of a button on our computer. Mendel’s pea plant discovery was a great introduction into genetics, but many of our currently known diseases and disorders are related to multiple genes. Even with the technology available, some disease origins and their corresponding defective genes are still unknown. Of these genetic flaws, blood disorders are very complex and numerous.
So what is blood? Blood is a type of connective tissue that is filled with cells and is suspended in a liquid extracellular matrix. It is responsible for transporting oxygen, carbon dioxide, nutrients, and waste throughout the entire body. In humans, approximately half of the entire blood volume consists of an extracellular matrix called plasma. The other half of the blood volume contains formed elements consisting of platelets, white blood cells, and red blood cells. These four units in blood have specific roles to help the body maintain its normal function. A disruption in one of these processes is often times due to a genetic
Sickle cell: One of the first inherited diseases to be unraveled at the level of DNA was sickle-cell anemia which is defined as abnormal, crescent-shaped red blood cells that results from a single change in the amino acid sequence of the cell's hemoglobin, which causes the cell to contort, especially under low-oxygen conditions. (medical dictionary, 2017) Also, called drepanocyte, meniscocyte. Also, this blood disorder mostly affects Africans and natives of the Mediterranean region are those who are affected by malaria. A single mutation in the gene for the blood protein hemoglobin can affect its ability to transport oxygen around the body. People who inherit two copies of the same mutation, one from each parent, have severe symptoms.
This paper explores the history and some interesting facts about DNA. The last couple centuries have seen an exponential growth in our knowledge of DNA. The history of the DNA can be traced back to multiple devoted scientist. This article attempts to summarize, and review the basic history of DNA while providing some fascinating information about it.
Blood is a bodily fluid that transports oxygen and nutrients to the cells within the body. Blood has plasma that lets the different types of blood travel round the body. Plasma contains proteins that have different functions for the blood- clotting, transporting and defence organisms and osmotic organisations. The plasma carries the red blood cell which has a elastic membrane so it can fit through the small capillaries within the body. Red blood cells can be also known as erythrocytes they don’t have a nucleus when they are matured which gives a bigger space for oxygen, although as there is no nuclei the red blood cells can’t divide so they only live for around 120 days. Red blood cells gain their colour from haemoglobin, oxygenated blood which is known as arterial blood which flows through the arteries coming from the heart and
Catabolism is the set of metabolic pathways that breaks down molecules into smaller units to release energy. In catabolism, large molecules such as lipids, nucleic acids and proteins are broken down into smaller units such as fatty acids and amino acids. When food is broken down energy is released as the foods molecules’ bonds are broken. Then this energy is used to reform the bonds that have been broken so that ATP can be recreated. More energy can be obtained when oxygen is present and the process proceeds on aerobically. The aerobic production of ATP occurs inside the mitochondria in cells. The broken down food molecules then enters the blood stream. Blood is a liquid connective tissue as it is made up of red and white living cells. Oxygen is transported in the red blood cells which are attached to a protein called haemoglobin. Nutrients including glucose are dissolved in the plasma. Plasma is a mixture of water, sugar, fat, proteins and salts. The main function of the plasma is to transport blood cells throughout your body along with nutrients, waste products, antibodies, clotting proteins and chemical messengers such as hormones that help maintain the body’s fluid balance. The red blood cells also carry iron which attracts oxygen. Our cells use oxygen to make energy. Iron is also needed to keep the immune system healthy and help brain cells. Without your heart, blood vessels and blood you wouldn’t be able to get the
Blood contains nutrients from the foods you eat and oxygen from the air you breathe. It also
Blood is a mixture of liquids and solids. Blood contains plasma, serum, red blood cells, white blood cells proteins and more. Blood does not stay in liquid form for a long time after being exposed from your body, due to clotting. It clots a few minutes forming a dark red, gel-like substance that becomes more solid time passes. Blood clots can tell an attack was prolonged or the victim was bleeding for a significant period after being injured.
Blood has many functions and is a complex structure of cells and fluid. It helps fight bacteria, protect the body from infection, carry valuable sources of minerals and nutrients around the body, dispose of waste materials, keeps the body temperature regulated and helps with glandular distribution of hormones and enzymes.
Blood is made up of straw coloured plasma, the matrix, in which various types of blood are carried. Plasma is mainly water where substances are carried such as oxygen and carbon dioxide, nutrients such as glucose and amino acids, salts, enzymes and hormones. Also there is a combination of important proteins which help with blood clotting, transport,
Blood is a circulating tissue consisting of three types of cells: red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. These cells are suspended in a liquid known as plasma. Plasma is similar to salt water in composition. It carries dissolved proteins, such as antibodies, hormones, and clotting factors, and nutrients such as glucose, amino acids, salts, and minerals.
Gain of function (ectopic expression in the developing haltere epithelium) of each of these genes changes the haltere of the fly into a second set of wings: double-wings phenotype (GOF).
Blood is one of the most vital components of the human body. The blood carries many functions such as to supply oxygen to the bodies tissues, remove metabolic waste products, regulate our core temperature as well as fighting infection and foreign bodies (Glover, 1997). The cardiovascular system is composed of the heart and its vessels. The heart is an involuntary muscle which receives blood to the atrias, which is then pumped via the ventricles. The vessels are composed of three main types. Arteries, veins and capillaries; all which transport blood throughout the entirety of the body. The constant action of both the vessels and heart ensure that the body receives a continuous supply of blood, keeping us within our homeostatic limits.
Blood is a fluid comprising of two major portions. One is plasma and other is cell. Cells include red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. It provides required ingredients to different organs of body and remove waste materials from it. Vertebrates have a closed system which means that the blood circulates within arteries, veins and capillaries. The study of blood flow is known as haemodynamic and the process of flow of blood within
Blood is a substance found in organisms that play a role in the transportation of oxygen and nutrients through the organism to its muscles and organs (Unknown, 2017). Blood consists of red blood cells (RBC) which make up to 45% of the volume and transports oxygen, white blood cells that is used to protect the body from infections and then the rest consists of water, ions, platelets and nutrients that is regulated throughout the body (Campbell et al., 2008). The amount of heamogloban in organisms differ depending on gender with males tending to have more red blood cell than females (Merritt et al., 2014). Blood is divided into four types (A, B, AB, O) which depends on the antigen and Rh factor on the surface of the RBC (Campbell et al., 2008).
The blood is categorised as a connective tissue which is one of the primary tissues found in our bodies. Connective tissue are made of tendons and ligaments that connect the tissue together, as well as bone and cartilage to support the body. This is why connective tissues are described as tissues that protect organs and maintain the form of the body. Blood is classified as this type of tissue because the blood has the same origin as the other connective tissue types and the other reason is because the body like the tissue connects the systems of the body together transporting nutrients, energy, and excreting waste products.