Cell Biology: Nucleic Acids, Protein Synthesis, Embryonic Stem Cells, Cell Division, and Cancer Cells vs Normal Cells

Running head: BIOLOGY
BIOLOGY
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The role of nucleic acids in the nucleus and cytoplasm.
Nucleic acids form the most integral macromolecules that are responsible for
maintaining the continuity of life. The nucleic acids contain the genetic blueprint of a cell and
are responsible for regulating the functional outcome of a cell. In this regard, it should be
noted that there are two types of nucleic acids that are known as the ribonucleic acid (RNA)
and the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). The deoxyribonucleic acid is the genetic substance
that is responsible for determining the heredity and is found in all organisms ranging from
unicellular prokaryotes to multicellular eukaryotes (Jun and Taheri-Araghi 2015). The DNA
is found within the nucleus and other cell organelles such as the chloroplasts, and
mitochondria in eukaryotic organisms. On the other hand, the DNA is randomly distributed
within the Prokaryotes and is not enclosed by a nuclear envelope. The DNA is primarily
responsible for regulating the cellular activities by the mechanism of switching the genes
‘On’ or ‘Off’. The RNA or the ribonucleic acid is primarily concerned with the process of
protein synthesis. It should however be noted that the DNA molecules do not traverse from
the nucleus but use an intermediary mechanism to communicate with the specific cells. The
messenger RNA or the mRNA assists with the intermediary mechanism of communication.
Also, other forms of ribonucleic acids such as the Rrna, tRna and the microRNA are
associated with the process of translation and protein synthesis (Jun and Taheri-Araghi 2015).
Within the cytoplasm the ribonucleic acid are linked with the ribosome which is responsible
for conducting the process of protein biosynthesis.
This section also requires you to discuss the synthesis of proteins.
The process of protein synthesis is responsible for maintain the functionality of all
important physiological process. In this regard, it is crucial to note that the central dogma
biology dictates the process of protein expression. The central dogma theory mentions that a

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gene that codes for a polypeptide is usually expressed in two subsequent steps, transcription
and translation. The process of transcription marks the flow of information from a DNA to a
RNA which then through a cascade of biochemical reactions regulate the synthesis of a
protein. The first step of protein expression includes genetic coding (Heim and Mitelman
2015). This process is marked by copying a nucleotide sequence from the DNA to RNA
which is followed by alignment of the amino acids in the subsequent step. It is integral to
note in this context that the process in which the amino acids are joined with one another
determine the properties, function as well as shape of a protein. The 4 nucleotide bases
Adenine, Cytosine, Guanine and Uracil are read as three bases which form a codon. Each
distinct codon codes for a single amino acid or initiates the start and stop of a sequence.
The process of transcription is marked by the process of transcribing the DNA into a
similar RNA sequence. The RNA within eukaryotic organisms undergo processing in order to
transform into mRNA or the messenger RNA. The mRNA comprises of a specific coding
sequence which is then decoded and translated to a functional amino acid. However, it is
important to note that there might be instances where on account of faulty copying of the
genetic information, mutations are induced. Mutations result in faulty protein expression,
however in certain cases mutations can be irrelevant and cause no significant alternation in
the level of protein expression.
The generation of specialised tissues from embryonic stem cells.
The embryonic stem cells abbreviated as (ESCs) are the undifferentiated cellular mass
that are present within the human embryo. The ESCs are pluripotent in nature which means
that are able to differentiate further into any of the three primary germ layers that include the
ectoderm, mesoderm as well as the endoderm. Research studies mention that the embryonic
stem cells can potentially divide and develop into more than two hundred types of cells in the

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adult body (Bretones et al. 2015). The broad category of differentiating embryonic stem cells
is based on two characteristic properties that include the ability to differentiate indefinitely
and the characteristic of pleuripotency. The development of the embryo causes the cells to
grow and proliferate and then migrate in specialised patterns to different regions of the body
to form an elaborate body. In order to enhance the impact of differentiation it is essential to
ensure that the body comprises of a defined head and a tail. In addition to this, the
differentiation of the cells also require the collection of multicellular organs and other
structure that are specifically positioned at the right spots adjacent to the aces and are
interconnected to one another in a proper manner. The differentiation and the migration of the
embryonic stem cells is guided by the two important processes of intrinsic lineage and
extrinsic processing (Bretones et al. 2015). The intrinsic lineage refers to the set of instruction
that is inherited from the parent cell by virtue of the process of cell division. For instance, a
cell might inherit a set of instruction that specifically mentions that the cell is a part of the
neurological lineage of the body.
The extrinsic information on the other hand refers to the information that is received
by the surroundings of the cell. For instance, a cell might receive chemical signals from the
neighbouring cells that instruct it to become a specific type of photoreceptor. During the
process of development, the cells make use of both the extrinsic as well as intrinsic
information to undertake decisions about the behaviour and identity of the cells. The
embryonic cells eventually differentiate into three germ layers known as the ectoderm,
endoderm and the mesoderm. Under specific conditions, each of the layers give rise to a
specific set of cells or tissues.
The importance of interphase and factors that initiate cell division.