Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Nervous System Article

Steve Stice is a University of Georgia stem cell researcher. He is working with the U.S Naval Research Laboratory, and has discovered a new way to use cells. Stice thinks his dicovery will help protect national security. He is researching to create a portable chemical weapons system, this could be used for homeland security or could help soldiers out on the field. Detection systems they have now days use nerve cells from mouse embryos. The problem is, "That mouse cells only last about two weeks before dying, and don't respond in the same way as human cells.", Stice said. Neural cells from humans last longer than four months. The detection device developed by Navy engineers, is on average the size of a carpenter's tool box. The cells sit on top of electrodes that record changes in electrical activity, indicating the presence of an outside agent, like nerve gas. What they want to be able to do, which might take a while is to be able to use the stem cells from aborted babies. I believe there is a pro and a con to this. People all over the world are aborting babies, which is tremendously wrong in my opinon, seeing that I am 16 years old with a baby boy. But, if there are going to be people out there who continue to do this then why not do something positive with the cells left from this awful tradgedy. If they do use them though, the con to this would be that it might encourage people to have a abortion, or just take some of the guilt away since it would be going to a good cause.

Monday, March 17, 2008

senses graphic organizer




Basic Eye Worksheet



The eye is part of which nervous system? central nervous system
What types of tissues give the eye protection? skull and fatty connective tissue
What structure in the eye produces tears? lacrimal glands
What acts as an antibacterial layer in the eye? conjunctiva
What is the cornea? protection and lets light hit your eyes
What layer of the eye contains the rods and cones? Retina
What is the function of the rods? night vision The cones?daylight and color vision
What is the colored part of the eye? iris
What structure allows light to enter the eye? cornea
Sketch picture of eye with following labeled: lacrimal glands, eyelashes, iris, pupil, cornea, lens, eyelid, sclera, choroids, optic nerve, and retina

Basic Ear Worksheet


Sketch a picture of an ear and label the following:
Inner ear
middle ear
outer ear
pinna
tympanic membrane
cochlea
stapes
malleus
incus


What is the function of the following:
Pinna: flap cartiledge which directs sound waves to canal
tympanic membrane: converts sound waves into sound vibrations
ossicles: magnify sound vibrations
cochlea: transports nerve impulses to the brain
semicircular canals: balance the equilibrium in body
What three bones make up the ossicles? incus, malleus, and stapes
What is the function of hairs in the ear? catching the vibrations

Monday, March 3, 2008

Basic Nervous System


What does CNS and PNS stand for? Central Nervous System, Peripheral Nervous System
What are the parts of the CNS? Brain and spinal cord
Describe something that you do on a regular basis that your PNS controls. When you eat, the PNS tells you to digests it.
What are the two divisions of the autonomic nervous system and what does each control? Sympathetic= controls the body in time of stress, worry, or fear and Parasympathetic= brings brain back to normal state and allows relaxation
What are the three main types of neurons? What is the function of each? sensory= to tell your brain when somethings hurt, motor= moves when the sensory tells your brain, and inter=leaves the first neuron and travels through the CNS
What is the function of the axon of a nerve cell? axon=The sender The dendrite?recieving end
What is a synapse? sparking or jumping of a neural impulse from one nueron to another
Sketch a neuron and label the axon and the dendrite.

My life would be different!!

My life would be completely different if I did not have any muscles in my face. A tremendous amount of communication comes from facial expression. I wouldn't be able to smile or frown, or make a sour face when I ate something that didn't taste good. If my skeleton was on the outside of me first off that would just be nasty. Secondly I'd have to be real careful since there would be nothing protecting my bones. If I had no bones in my feet or hands, that would be difficult. I'd have to ride the mobile buggies around at the grocery store and since my hands probably wouldn't function someone would have to get the groceries for me. I wouldn't be able to type like I am now, or pick up a pencil. If my muscles did not connect to my bones, I would of course have both, but they would not work together like they should. I'd probably be able to do things, but I wouldn't be that strong. Yeah my life would definitely be different.