AmyStrange.org and the UNeXpLaiNed ©Copyrighted by Dave Ayotte & Caty Bergman
SCI: Genetics
THIS PAGE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION TOC (Table Of Contents)
01.00 INTRODUCTION: What is Genetics? 02.00 HISTORY 03.00 ADVANCED DEGREE 04.00 RESEARCH NOTES 05.00 BIBLIOGRAPHY 06.00 FOOTNOTES 07.00 RELATED WEBPAGES 08.00 RELATED SUBJECTS 09.00 etc...
[DEFINITIONS] 01.00
01.01 SUMMARY
01.01a DOUBLE HELIX
01.01c SEX CHROMOSOMES
01.02 DEFINITIONS
Genetics is the study of genes and it's processes. The GENE is the basic biological unit of genetics. Together (along with all the other genes), they direct cellular processes and pass on inherited characteristics. How this is accomplished is one of the major areas of study and research being done today.
The genes are located on the chromosomes (see Fig001a below). Each chromosome is like a pair of shoes. There are always two of them, and although chromosomes (unlike shoes) aren't recognized as either a left or right pair, let's pretend they are.
During organism reproduction (as opposed to cellular reproduction), one pair of chromosomes is donated by each parent; the female donates one half (let's pretend it's the left half) of all chromosome pairs (humans have 23 pairs, 46 total), while the male donates the other half (let's pretend it's the right half), which means for each gene on one chromosome (the left pair), there is another gene on the second chromosome (the right). EXCEPT for the sex chromosomes, but more on this in a few seconds.
Each
gene
is one of the many many protein rungs on the double helix ladder as
shown (on the left) in Fig001a.
The double helix ladder (chromosome strand) is how the chemical structure of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is thought to look. The four proteins that are used to make up genes are (ATGC):
(A) ADENINE
(T) THYMINE
(G) GUANINE
(C) CYTOSINE
Like the 1s and 0s that make up computer language (code), the four basic proteins (listed above) make up the genetic code (language).
SIMPLY PUT since the female can only bring an X chromosome to the table, the sex of the offspring is almost always decided by the male. Incidently, the Y chromosome is shorter than the X chromosome which means, some of the X chromosome genes don't have a matching gene on the Y chromosome. Depending on the species,
The next step to understanding basic genetics is to read our quick recap of the "History of Genetics", but first some definitions.
GENE - "The gene is the biological unit that directs cellular processes and transmits inherited characteristics." [1]
GENETICS - The study of gene processes.
HOMOZYGOUS - "Having a pair of genes for a specific characteristics that are identical with each other." [2]
HETEROZYGOUS - "Having a pair of genes for a specific characteristic that are different from each other." [3]
02.00
02.01 Pre-Mendel Theories (460BC-1822)
02.02 Gregor Johann Mendel (1822-1884)
02.99 Timeline
460BC-322BC
SOURCE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_genetics
" ...The history of genetics started with the work of the Augustinian friar Gregor Johann Mendel. His work on pea plants, published in 1866, described what came to be known as Mendelian Inheritance... "
LONG before Mendel was born, the principles of genetics began as a discussion on heredity.
" ...The most influential early theories of heredity were that of Hippocrates (460-370 BC) and Aristotle (384-322 BC). Hippocrates' theory (possibly based on the teachings of Anaxagoras) was similar to Darwin's later ideas on pangenesis, involving heredity material that collects from throughout the body. Aristotle suggested instead that the (nonphysical) form-giving principle of an organism was transmitted through semen (which he considered to be a purified form of blood) and the mother's menstrual blood, which interacted in the womb to direct an organism's early development."For both Hippocrates and Aristotle—and nearly all Western scholars through to the late 19th century—the inheritance of acquired characters was a supposedly well-established fact that any adequate theory of heredity had to explain.... "
02.99 1848-SEP-13 [WED] > Phineas Gage incident
02.99 1861 > Broca's Area discovered
02.99 1879 > First psychology lab
LOCATION:
Cavendish, VT USA
SOURCE:
Page 6-7
Brain And Behavior: An Introduction To Biological Psychology
Phineas Gage injured his frontal lobe when a tamping iron was accidently driven through his skull. This accident changed his personality, which helped validate the biopsychological principle of localization.
TO SEE LOCATION (Go Here):
http://www.amystrange.org/SCI-biopsychology.html#IMG-Brain-001a
SOURCE:
Page 7
Brain And Behavior: An Introduction To Biological Psychology
A brain autopsy was performed on someone who had lost their ability to speak after a stroke. The autopsy revealed the area affected by the stroke. This area is now known as the "Broca Area (after Paul Broca the French physician who performed the autopsy)" and that area of the brain was considered one of the most important (if not THE MOST important) area(s) when it comes to our ability to speak.
LOCATION:
Leipzig, Germany
SOURCE:
Page 3
Brain And Behavior: An Introduction To Biological Psychology
Wilhelm Wundt establishes first laboratory dedicated to the study of psychology.
03.00
03.01 REVIEW
GENETICS
Genetics is the study of genes; to be specific, the study of
gene processes.
GENES
It all starts with the gene. This is the basic unit of genetics.
One gene is made up of two proteins; and like the rungs on a ladder,
one protein pairs up with the other protein to form one rung of the
ladder.
CHROMOSOMES
(SEE Fig. 001a ABOVE)
The ladder represents the chromosome. Each pair of genes represent
the rungs of the ladder that connects each side (strand) of the
ladder (chromosome) together.
DNA (DeoxyriboNucleic Acid)
DNA is the scientific chemical name for each
chromosome individually, and for all the chromosomes (in the
nucleus) collectively.
PROCESSES
Gene (or genetic) processes not only include the schematical
control of protein production, but also the passing on of said
schematical processes.
04.00
05.00
Brain And Behavior: An Introduction To Biological Psychology
Copyright ©2009
06.00
INTRODUCTION: Definitions
[1] Brain And Behavior: An Introduction... , p. 9.
[2] ibid., p. 507.
[3] ibid., p. 507.
07.00
René Descartes (1596-1650):
http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/Mind/Descartes.html
08.00
09.00
Biopsychology:
http://www.amystrange.org/SCI-biopsychology.html
LAST UPDATED: May 27, 2012