Cystic fibrosis is an inherited disorder affecting specific channel proteins in cell membranes. In this article we will look at how it is inherited, how chloride ion transport is affected, and the symptoms which develop as a consequence. Inheritance of cystic fibrosis Cystic fibrosis is an inherited recessive disorder, meaning it is caused by a... Continue Reading →
In the last article I mentioned that red blood cells contain a protein called haemoglobin. In simple terms, the haemoglobin protein binds to oxygen and carries it around the body. As with most of biology there's a bit more to it than that, so here we will look at how this process works in more... Continue Reading →
Sometimes it's easy to forget that plants exchange gases too because you can't see evidence of ventilation. As well as needing oxygen for respiration, plants also need carbon dioxide for photosynthesis. In addition, oxygen is a waste product of photosynthesis and carbon dioxide is a waste product of respiration. Dicotyledonous Plants First of all, what... Continue Reading →
Fish and insects don't have lungs like humans and other mammals do. Instead, they have clever alternative gas exchange systems in order to deliver oxygen to their cells. Let's look at each organism individually. Gas Exchange in Fish I'm sure it's fairly obvious that fish don't breath air because they live underwater. Instead, they must... Continue Reading →
We've now looked at three ways in which substances can be transported across cell membranes: diffusion, osmosis, and active transport. Today's topic is example of where diffusion takes place in the human body, all with the purpose of taking in oxygen for respiration and removing carbon dioxide. There's quite a lot of information today so... Continue Reading →
