LIFE. ITS CНARACTERISTICS (магистры 1 курс)

The quantity of life an organism possess cannot bе measured, alt¬hough the average person distinguishes between the living and non living state in familiar organisms, either plants or animals. Life, there¬fore, cannot easily bе defined but is described in teams of а series of special attributes, as follows: Organization. Living matter has а characteristic type of organisation occurring in several levels. Living material is called proto¬plasm. This is not а definite chemical compound but а complex mix¬ture varying in different organisms and different parts of the same or¬ganism. Protoplasm is aggregated in structural units called cells which iп larger organisms are combined to form organs. And the whole ani¬mal plant behaves as а unit, an organism. A Metabolism. Metabolism is the sнm total to all chemical processes going on in living matter. These processes, in part, occur in а living matter: and are, therefore, characteristic. Constructive (synthetic) pro¬cesses constitute anabolism; destructive metabolism is catabolism. Growth. An excess of synthetic over destructive processes in me¬tabolism results in an increase in size. This process of growth (does not consist of the addition of material оn the surface нt of an increase in all pai1s. Reproduction. When а cell has growth to а characteristic size, it divides, forming two. In а one-celled organism this is reproduction. In а multicellular organism it is not only reproduction of cells but growth of the, whole organism. Reproduction in multicellular organism may take place asexually when only one parent is involved, or sexually when two parents are involved. In either case, offspring resempling the parent or parents is produced. Adaptation. The innate fitness of an organism for the environnment, in which it lives and thrives is called adaptation. Adaptation develops throщ;h various evolutionary mechanisms, and, it becomes permanent though inheritance. 1. Cuestions for discussion. 1) Сап we easily define, life? 2) What terms must bе used in description of life? 3) How is living material called? 4) What is protoplasm'? 5) What is protoplasm aggregated in? 6) What is the cell? 7) Why are cells iп largero rganism's combine? 8) What helps аn animal or а рlant to behave as а unit? 9) What is metabolism? 10) What is соnstructive (destructive) metabolism called? ] 11) How саn you definite growth of living organisms? 12) When is the cell ready for reproduction? 13) How many cells сап an organism have? 14) In what case may reproduction take place asexually (sexually)? 15) How сап your account tor irritabllity? 16) What does adaptation mean? П. Ask questions to each sentence given below. Тhе study of the world of life is as old as man himself. Our an-cestors were aware of' the differences between а bat and а bird and long before they had а11 inkling that there were similarities between the issues of а mushroom апd а ma11. The awarerness that aII organisms have certain common principles dates back to the cell 1heory. This theory, enunciated bу Schleiden ап Schwan in 1833, stated tl1at all living systems are composed of cells and of cell products. The cell is the common denominator of all the immense variety of living forшs. One must not forget that all cells have specialized юles over tl1e entire range of diversity in biological form and function. Пl. Translate into Englislh. Познание сущности жизни - одна из основных задач общей биологии главными закономерностями, характеризующими жизнь, являются: структурная организация, обмен веществ и энергии, репродукция, рост, раздражимость, адаптация. IV: Маkе а presentation to the text.