This document provides an overview of key concepts in biology. It defines biology as the scientific study of life and notes that biology is woven into human culture. It describes evolution as the process of change that has transformed life on Earth. It lists the key properties of life as evolutionary adaptation, order, response to environment, regulation, energy processing, growth and development, and reproduction. It explains that cells are the basic unit of structure and function in living things, and can be distinguished as either prokaryotic or eukaryotic. Systems biology constructs models to study dynamic behavior across whole biological systems.

1. Biology: Themes in The Study of Life Areil Henderson EDU 290 11-12:15p.m. High School Biology Class October 10, 2010

2. About Biology Biology is the scientific study of life. Biology has woven into fabric of our culture more than ever before. Biology apart of our everyday life; without biology we as humans would not exist.

3. The World of Life Evolution- the process of change that has transformed life on Earth from its earliest beginning to the diversity of organisms living today.

4. What are the properties of life? Evolutionary adaptation Order Response to the environment Regulation Energy processing Growth and Development Reproduction

5. Themes of the concepts of biology Emergent properties are due to the arrangement and interactions of parts as complexity increases. Example: If a serious head injury disrupts the intricate architecture of a human brain, the mind may not function properly Our thoughts and memories are emergent properties of a complex network of nerve cells.

6. Systems Biology Systems biology constructs models for dynamic behavior of whole biological systems. Systems biology is relevant to the study of life at all levels. Systems biology has taken hold at the cellular and molecular levels.

7. Cells are an organisms basic unit of structure and functions In life, cells have a special place as the lowest level of organization that can perform all activities required for life. The division of cells to form new cells is basis for all reproduction and for the growth and repair of multicellular organisms. Understanding how cells work is a major focus in biological research.

8. All cells share certain charecteristics Every cell is enclosed be a membrane that regulates the passage of materials between the cell and its surroundings. Every cell uses DNA as its genetic information We can only distinguish between two main forms of cells: prokaryotic cells and eukaryotic cells.

9. About the cell Eukaryotic cell Sub-divided by internal membranes into various membrane-enclosed organelles. Plants, animals and all life forms are composed of eukaryotic cells. Prokaryotic cell The DNA is not separated from the rest of the cell by enclosure in a membrane-bounded nucleus. Bacteria and archea are prokaryotic.

10. How well were you listening? What is biology? Biology the composition, structure, properties, and reactions of matter, especially of atomic and molecular. Biology is the scientific study of life. Biology is designed for explaining what prokaryotes and eukaryotic cells are made of.

11. Biology Rocks What are the properties of life? Pull out a sheet of paper and list at least 4 of the 7 properties of life. List the importance of systems biology. Give a brief summary of what systems biology is and why it is important to humans.