Biology 42 – Human Biology (Spring 2007)
Cell Travel Brochure
[ Students and professors, please read. ]
Take a Cruise through Steve’s New Brain!
A Eukaryotic Paradise!
If you’re a subcellular vacationer looking for a great place to kick up your electrons — come relax in one of Steve’s good-as-new brain cells!
The first thing you’ll notice upon arrival is our magnificent plasma membrane!!!
Oxygen, carbon dioxide and water get in (or out) free!
All others apply at whichever plasma membrane protein will accept you (rumor has it, they take ATP… upon entering… or exiting…) or, if you want to impress your girlfriend by walking through walls unassisted, you can enter via endocytosis and exit via exocytosis – we’re flexible!
Bacteria, if somehow you manage to get in, your diligence and tenacity will be rewarded with our respect and admiration — just check in at the lysosome desk to get your (permanent) vacation started. Our receptionists are kind and courteous!
Please do not let rumors of civil war or foreign invasion dissuade you – though attacks on our MHC glycoproteins have been reported, such attacks were friendly fire due to confusion caused by the fact that these cells are part of a brain that has been transplanted (a new development in the progressive world of transplants, indeed!) into Steve, who is now taking a prescription which prevents those attacks on our quite unique MHC glycoproteins. Additionally, Steve’s brain cells are in good supply, and it is projected that they will continue to remain in abundance, as he has consistently avoided all of the behavior which results in brain cell loss. Besides an all-out identity crisis having no effect on Steve’s brain cells — it’s all taken care of!
We have all the amenities of other eukaryotic cells, but ours are – better (somehow)!!
— Gnarly Nucleus – the Boss Man in charge of everything, including “the stash”.
— Great Golgi Apparatus (Batman!) – the distributor of all subcellular resources…
— Mighty Mitochondrion – this doubles as the lungs (ahem, nevermind that, you’re not in any danger) and power plant of this paradise!
— Endearing Endoplasmic Reticulum – where you proteins come together and go for a drive in our smart-vesicles through our intracellular cytoskeletal tunnels of love…
— Super Cilium and Fantastic Flagellum – keeps this mobile paradise moving in the right direction…
— Luscious Lysosomes and Perfect Peroxisomes – excellent waste management and laundry service!
So pack your vacuoles and get cruisin’ today! Brought to you by Eukaryotic Cruises.
Ichthus77 