Pedigree

Pedigree

 of Pedigrees The purpose of a pedigree is to have an easy-to-read chart that depicts a certain characteristic or disorder in an individual. It can be used for a characteristic like having a widow’s peak or attached earlobes, or a genetic disorder like colorblindness or Huntington’s disease.  Besides being used to represent familial characteristics in … Read more

Biochemistry

Biochemistry

Biochemistry Definition The study of biochemistry is concerned with the chemical reactions occurring within organisms. Both biology and chemistry are incorporated into it. During the early 20th century, biochemistry became a separate discipline. In addition to proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates, biochemists study enzymes and DNA, which are important in metabolism. History of Biochemistry Despite the … Read more

Chloroplast

Chloroplast

Chloroplast Definition The chloroplast, found only in algal and plant cells, is a cell organelle that produces energy through photosynthesis. The word chloroplast comes from the Greek words khloros, meaning “green”, and plastes, meaning “formed”.  It has a high concentration of chlorophyll, the molecule that captures light energy, and this gives many plants and algae … Read more

Goliath Birdeater

Goliath Birdeater

The Basics The Goliath birdeater is the world’s largest spider, by weight. Technically, the giant huntsman spider has longer legs – but it weighs considerably less! While this massive tarantula is called a “bird-eater,” this name is actually a bit of a misconception. Goliath birdeaters rarely, if ever, eat birds! That being said, goliath tarantulas … Read more

Monohybrid Cross

Monohybrid Cross

Monohybrid Cross Definition A monohybrid cross is a genetic mix between two individuals who have homozygous genotypes, or genotypes that have completely dominant or completely recessive alleles, which result in opposite phenotypes for a certain genetic trait. Monohybrid crosses are used by geneticists to observe how the offspring of homozygous individuals express the heterozygous genotypes … Read more

Pseudostratified Columnar Epithelium

Pseudostratified Columnar Epithelium

Pseudostratified Columnar Epithelium Definition Pseudostratified columnar epithelia are single-layered tissues that appear to have multiple layers, especially in cross section. These epithelial cells have nuclei at different levels, giving the appearance of stratification. Despite the fact that this tissue consists of a single layer of cells, each cell is in contact with the basement membrane, … Read more

Difference Between Binary Fission and Mitosis

Binary Fission and Mitosis

Binary fission is a method of asexual reproduction which single-celled organisms, usually prokaryotes, use to create a copy of themselves. Another term for the process is cellular cloning. Mitosis is cell division that results in two identical daughter cells and is primarily used for growth of an organism. Binary fission is different from mitosis because … Read more

Crenation

Crenation

Crenation Definition In botany and zoology, crenation refers to the leaf-like scalloped edges of an object such as a leaf or a shell. In biology, crenation describes the formation of abnormal notched surfaces on cells as a result of water loss through osmosis. Cells are usually in an isotonic solution inside the body, meaning that … Read more