Chicks

I recently downloaded an app on my Ipod called "WeirdButTrue" made by National Geography, while shuffling through the facts I came across one that said Chicks can breathe through their shells. I was very excited because this topic was covered in lab.

Chapter 3

Chondrocytes- precursor cells for cartilage.

Thanatophoric dysplasia- growth plates of the rib limb bones fail to proliferate. This is a lethal mutation because the ribs can not support breathing. This is the effect of prematurely activating the STAT pathway.

Cadherins- a class of proteins that are calcium dependent adhesion molecules.

Karyokinesis- the mitotic division of the cell's nucleus. The mechanical agent of karyokinesis is the mitotic spindle.

Commitment- describes a state in which a cell's development fate has become restricted even though it is not yet displaying overt changes.

Determination- the second and irreversible stage of cell or tissue commitment in which the cell or tissue is capable of differentiating autonomously even when placed into a non neutral environment.

Specification- the first stage of commitment of cell or tissue fate during which the cell or tissue is capable of differentiating autonomously when placed in an environment that is neutral with respect to the developmental pathway at the stage.

What I learned this week in class!!

I like taking different courses in Biology because  learn more about a subject I thought I knew every aspect of. This week's subject area is fertilization, I began this class thinking  that when sperm meets egg it's head only needed to enter the outer layer of the egg and the egg would be fertilized. This week I learned that the sperm must first travel through the cumulus layer, then bind to the zona pellucida and then the egg membrane. I also learned that the zona pellucida also has layers. First the SED1 from the sperm must make contact with ZP2 and ZP3 in the zona pellucida.

I perviously thought this was a simple process, however I now know how complex creating life  can be. This has made me realize how much God truly knows and cares for all His creations. In the bible when He is speaking to Jeremiah the prophet He says in Jeremiah 1:5 "Before  formed thee in the belly  knew thee". This means that God knew which sperm would make it to the egg. Which each science course I am amazed at how intimate and detailed God is.

My Babies

Today, when I  looked through the microscope I saw that my sea urchins were still alive and moving, I was surprised and in awe, because they survived in a colder temperature than that of their parents. I later found that the sea urchins were in the pluteus larva stage. This farther peaked my interest and I began to wonder if I would be able to farm sea urchins and how long it would take for then to reach juvenile stage. I found that it would take about 40 to 45 days for them to go into the metamorphosis stage. I believe they can develop into fully mature sea urchins however, due to the length of their development and the limitations of their environment they have a small percentage of surviving.  

http://www.asnailsodyssey.com/LEARNABOUT/URCHIN/urchRepr.php