Differences between DNA and RNA

By | August 21, 2021

Nucleic acids accounts for one of the four major biological macromolecules, which carry genetic blueprint of a cell and are essential for proper functioning of the cell. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and Ribonucleic acid (RNA) are two important nucleic acids which help in carrying genetic information and are made up of nucleotide monomers. Even though both… Read More »

The Nucleus of a Eukaryotic Cell and Chromatin Organization

By | August 20, 2021

The nucleus of a eukaryotic cell is essential for the storage and utilization of genetic information. The contents of the nucleus are enclosed by a complex nuclear envelope that separates the nucleus from the cytoplasm. The nucleus of a non-mitotic cell contains: Chromosomes, highly extended nucleoprotein fibers, also called chromatin. An irregularly shaped electron-dense structure,… Read More »

What are prokaryotes ?

By | August 18, 2021

All the living organisms on this planet are made up of cells. They can be divided into two groups : Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes. Prokaryotes are single celled or colonial organisms, where the cell is surrounded by cell membrane or plasma membrane and lacks a defined nucleus (as found in eukaryotic cell). These cells are of… Read More »

Anabolism – Building cell structures with simple molecules

By | August 7, 2021

Every living creature on this planet Earth needs to extract energy from the dietary food, a process termed as Catabolism ( breaking down of complex molecules into simpler molecules to yield maximum energy, eg: Glucose gets converted by a process involving Glycolysis, Krebs cycle and electron transport chain – to yield ATP). The opposite cellular… Read More »

Amino acids – building blocks of Proteins

By | July 31, 2021

Amino acids (aa) are the building blocks of proteins, which happens to be one of the 4 important biological macromolecules. Amino acids are organic compounds made up of nitrogen, carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, along with a variable side chain group. All amino acids share a similar fundamental structure. The central carbon atom, or also termed as… Read More »

4 major Biological Macromolecules – Fueling Life

By | July 27, 2021

Everything on this Earth – living and non-living, is made up of atoms. An atom is the smallest unit of matter that has the characteristic properties of a chemical element. Two or more different or similar atoms will combine to form “Molecules” with the help of chemical bonds. Many molecules, joined together in an organized manner… Read More »

Lysosomes – Digestive Organelle of an Animal Cell

By | July 27, 2021

A lysosome has approximately 50 different hydrolytic enzymes. These enzymes are produced by the endoplasmic reticulum and targeted lysosomes. Lysosome enzymes can digest every type of biological macromolecule. All the enzymes of the lysosome share significant properties – their optical activity at an acid pH and thus are acid hydrolases. The pH optimum of these… Read More »

Golgi Complex – The Protein Assembly Center of the Cell

By | July 26, 2021

The Golgi complex has a characteristic morphology – flattened, disklike, membranous cisternae with dilated rims, and associated tubules. The cisternae have a diameter of 0.5 to 1 micrometer, stacked in an ordered manner and a Golgi stack contains fewer than eight cisternae. There are several thousand distinct types of stacks depending on the cell type.… Read More »

Endoplasmic Reticulum – The Lipid and Protein Processing Machinery of the Cell

By | July 23, 2021

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is divided into – smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER) and rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER). ER consists of a system of membranes that enclose a space or lumen, that separates it from the cytosol. The composition of the luminal or cisternal space inside the ER membranes is quite different from the cytosolic space.… Read More »

RNA – Types and Structure

By | July 23, 2021

The nucleic acids are one of the important macromolecules present in the nucleus of all eukaryotes. They are also present in all bacteria and viruses, but in non-eukaryotes, nucleic acids are not enclosed in the nuclear membrane. Some cell organelles such as mitochondria and chloroplasts (present in plant cells) also have their own nucleic acid… Read More »