Reflections #2

It has been about a month and a half since I began this course. My previous reflections post talked about how I was just getting used to the course, and the fact that I looking on to a challenging few months ahead.


After two weeks of attending the class, I've grown to finding a higher affinity for the class, especially during the past week. As I continue to learn more in this class, I find it easier to understand the different processes and concepts that I'm learning. I have also learned that understanding pictures/diagrams are key to doing well and understanding the way things work inside the cell.

My Dictionary #2

Chaperone - A protein required for the proper folding and/or assembly of another protein or protein complex.

(1) 

Chaperonins - A complex composed of multiple heat shock protein shunts that make double ring structures.

(2)

PDI - Enzyme in the ER in eukaryotes that breaks and forms disulfide bonds between the cysteine residues within proteins as they fold.

Picture references:

(1) http://study.com/cimages/multimages/16/chaperonin1.png

(2) https://www3.nd.edu/~aseriann/CHAP9B.html/img024.gif

Reflections #1

It has been about a month since I have been in this Cell and Molecular Biology course.

I have been enjoying this class. Last semester, I took the Histology course, which I enjoyed a bit more than this one. But, this class has just started, so maybe it will reach the same level of affinity as I had for Histology in the next few weeks. Saying this, to me, the cell is one of the most fascinating components of the human body. It is so intricately designed and made in such a sophisticated way. Because of this, I already have an interest in studying Cell Biology.

The course so far has comprised of one exam, which was a creative project on the process of transcription and translation. I love doing creative projects; so this worked out pretty well for an exam grade.

All in all, I have had a successful and knowledgeable first few weeks of this course. I am actually interested in coming to class and learning about this specific field of biology, as opposed to learning something in biology I'm not interested in, but need. The professor also plays a huge role in making this course exciting and worth learning. I am looking forward for the many detailed and amazing concepts and processes I have yet to learn in this course!

Encounters #2

After my Cell and Molecular Biology lab yesterday, my classmate and I were observing through our laboratory window a black squirrel, just living life. What made this interesting was looking at this squirrel that was about five feet away from us through a window that was ground level. So, it was almost as if we were the size of the squirrel observing its actions.

(1)

We saw this squirrel eating. We didn't know what it was eating; perhaps grass or the soil or something in the soil. Whatever it was eating, it was eating it fast. Real fast. It felt like the squirrel was biting off its food with small bites. Each bite lasted about a millisecond until the next one. After it was done, it ran to a different area of grass and did the same.

Looking at animals living their lives, whether its how they eat their food, how they live or sleep, and just how they survive the next day, is fascinating. God created nature in such a beautiful way, and sometimes, I take it for granted, with all the busyness of life. He has given the animals, the birds, the fish, a wonderful life to live, and He's done that for me too. I am reminded of the song, "His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me."

Taking this course is teaching me many different components of the cell, specifically the process of translation and transcription, and how God made me through DNA, RNA, and then protein to perform my functions. He's created me, and squirrels, with such intricacy and detail and the lowest (cellular) level. It's amazing to learn of these processes that happen inside our bodies every second. He has also given us all we need to survive, just like He gave the squirrel, so why should we worry?

This was yet another encounter that made this class into something I could relate it with in my everyday life.

What an amazing God I serve.

Picture reference:
(1) http://www.trbimg.com/img-545c3077/turbine/ct-black-squirrel-schmich-met-1107-20141106