Introduction to Life

Science
What is Life?

Scientifically, “a living being is any

autonomous system with open-ended
evolutionary capacities.”
• The term autonomy refers to the organism’s
relationship with its environment. This
means that living things can self-construct,
through which they are able to build an
identity that is separate from the
environment.

• In the simplest case, a living organism is a

cell. And the term “open-ended evolution”
refers to the capacity of living things to
explore with their surroundings including
other living things.
Levels of Biological Organization
 Life’s Processes Involve the
Expression and Transmission of
Genetic Information
The division of cells to form new
cells is the basic foundation for the
growth and reproduction of all
organisms.

In the dividing cell,

deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is
replicated and then partitioned
between two resulting daughter
cells.
DNA is where genes are found.
Genes are the basic units of
inheritance that transmits the
genetic information from parents
to offspring’s.
DNA controls the development
and maintenance of the whole
organism.
DNA is the storage space for
genetic information. It is
composed of nucleic acids, which
are building blocks for genes.
 Life Requires the Transmission and
Transformation of Energy and Matter
A fundamental characteristic of all living things is that
they use energy to carry out their activities, and to sustain
them. Growing and moving requires work, and this work
requires energy.

Living organisms function to transform the types of

energy. For instance, solar energy is transformed to
chemical energy (sugar) through the process of
photosynthesis. The flow of energy in living things starts
with producers (plants) to consumers (animals), and then
to decomposition (bacteria and fungi).
 Evolution is the Core
Theme of Biology
Charles Darwin proposed the “theory of
evolution”. Organisms exhibit the diversity as
well as the unity of evolution.

Living organisms have shared traits (unity).

Yet, each organism is suited to its own
environment (diversity). All organisms are
descended from a common ancestor.
BIOENERGETICS
What is bioenergetics?
The branch of biochemistry that focuses on how
cells transform energy, often by producing, storing
or consuming adenosine triphosphate (ATP).

Bioenergetic processes, such as cellular

respiration or photosynthesis, are essential to
most aspects of cellular metabolism, therefore to
life itself.
 The cell as the basic unit of life
Cells are the basic building blocks of all living
things. The human body is composed of trillions of
cells.
They provide structure for the body, take in
nutrients from food, convert those nutrients into
energy, and carry out specialized functions.
Cells also contain the body’s hereditary material
and can make copies of themselves. (DNA)
Modern Cell Theory
All organisms are made up of cells.
New cells arise from pre-existing cells.
The cell is the structural and functional unit of all
living things.
The cell contain genetic information that is passed
from cell to cell during cell division.
All cells are basically the same in chemical
composition and metabolic activities.
Animal Cell Plant Cell
Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis is the process by which plants that contain

chlorophyll covert energy from the sun into photochemical
energy. This energy is stored in the form of carbohydrates.
Aside from this, photosynthesis also produces oxygen as a
by-product that is essential for all life on earth.
In the photosynthetic activity of green plants, CO2, H2O,
and light energy react with each other, producing O2 and
glucose(C6H12O6) as its products.
Perpetuation of Life
Plant Reproduction
The reproduction of plants is important for the
propagation of life on earth. Plants reproduce through
three types: asexual, sexual, and vegetative.

Asexual Reproduction
In the asexual mode of reproduction, offspring are
produced from the vegetative unit produced by a parent
without any fusion of sex cells or gametes.
In addition to this, only a single parent is involved and
the offspring produced are genetically identical to the
parent.
 Types of Asexual Reproduction
Fission It can be seen in unicellular organisms such as
yeast or bacteria.
The content of the parent cell divides into 2, 4, or 8
daughter cells.
Accordingly, fission may be called binary (2) or multiple (4
or more).
Each daughter cell that is newly formed grows into a new
organism.
Budding is bud-like growth formed on one side of the
parent cell. As soon as the bud separates from the parent
cell, it becomes a whole new organism (e.g. yeast).
Fragmentation occurs in filamentous algae. It occurs
as a result of accidentally breaking off a filament into many
fragments. Each new fragment may give rise to a new
organism through cell division (e.g. Spirogyra).
 Sexual Reproduction
Sexual reproduction involves the fusion of female
and male reproductive cells (gametes). These
gametes are haploid, which means that they contain
only half the genetic material (chromosomes) for a
new organism to exist.
The fusion of gametes is also called fertilization
and it results in the production of diploid zygote.
When the zygote undergoes further development, it
gives rise to a new individual that is diploid.
 Reproduction in Lower
Plants
Two representative plants that are considered lower
plants are Spirogyra (multicellular) and Chlamydomonas
(unicellular).
 Reproduction in Angiosperms
(Flowering Plants)
Angiosperms may reproduce vegetatively or sexually. Sexual
reproduction occurs by the fusion of male and female
gametes that are present in the flower. Thus, the plant’s basic
reproductive unit is the flower.
Angiosperms can be classified according to the following:

Annuals Biennials

Perennials Monocarpic
Annuals: these plants live for Other Example:
only one year. The plants that
produce seeds and flowers within
just one season are termed as
annuals (e.g. peas).

Biennials: plants that live for two

seasons, and complete their life
cycles within these two seasons.
During the first year, the plant is in
a vegetative state. In the second
year, the plants produce flowers,
fruits, or seeds and then they
perish (e.g. radish).
PARTS OF A FLOWER
 Parts of a Flower
Male part
Stamen: The pollen producing part of a flower, usually
with a slender filament supporting the anther. 
Anther: The part of the stamen where pollen is
produced. 
Female part
Pistil: The ovule producing part of a flower.
The ovary often supports a long style, topped
by a stigma. The mature ovary is a fruit, and
the mature ovule is a seed.
Stigma: The part of the pistil where pollen
germinates. 
Ovary: The enlarged basal portion of the pistil
where ovules are produced.
Receptacle: The part of a flower stalk where
the parts of the flower are attached. 
Sepal: The outer parts of the flower (often
green and leaf-like) that enclose a developing
bud.
Petal: The parts of a flower that are often
conspicuously colored. 
 ANIMAL
REPRODUCTION
Animal reproduction is the process through which
genetic materials are transferred to offspring.

Sexual reproduction occurs when a new individual

is formed from the union of two sex cells, or gametes.
Gametes include the sperm and the egg. The union of
these two produces a fertilized egg, or
zygote(diploid).Through mitotic division, the zygote
develops into a new organism.

The process of sperm formation (spermatogenesis) and

egg formation (oogenesis).
 Fertilization and Development
There are two types of fertilization: internal and external

External fertilization commonly occurs among organisms

in the ocean, where water allows for the rapid dispersion of
sperm or ova towards others of the same species.

Internal fertilization is common in terrestrial animals.

Internal fertilization is the introduction of the male gamete
into the female’s reproductive tract.
 Fertilization and Development
Oviparity is found in some
amphibians, fish, and some
reptiles, is when the eggs are
deposited outside the mother’s
body after fertilization.
(oviparous animals).
Viviparity is found in
almost all mammals. The
young develop within the
mother and takes its
nourishment directly from
their mother’s blood, as
opposed to egg yolks.
(viviparous animals)
ANY QUESTIONS
CLASS?