The following HotLinks are divided into the three major concepts you will find in the Flow of Matter in Livings Systems unit. Click below to jump to a particular topic, or simply scroll down this page.

• 1.0: Our current understanding of the cell is due in part to developments in imaging technology
• 2.0: Living systems are dependent upon the functioning of cell structures and organelles
• 3.0: Plants are multicellular organisms with specialized structures

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The Walkerton Disaster - showing the importance of providing clean drinking water.

• Walkerton E. Coli Tragedy Archive - a huge collection of dated articles which chronicle the entire disaster.
• E. Coli and Drinking Water - excellent disease and contamination information.
• Health Canada - E. Coli - a government health page devoted to E. Coli.
• Dr. Glen Armstrong - the University of Alberta scientist who developed Synsorb, a drug to help those affected in the Walkerton disaster.
• Environment Canada: Drinking Water - the Canadian government website concerning water quality safety and regulations.
• Drinking Water Treatment Methods - as well as general safety concerns.

Text Pages 241

Filtering Giardia - can it be done? You just have to choose the right filter!

Text Pages 243-244

A Window on a New World - viewing microscopic living processes opened up an entire new world for scientists of the 17th century.

• History of the Microscope
• History of the Light Microscope
• Microscope Timeline
• Museum of Microscopy - take a virtual tour through the development of the microscope.
• The Janssen Microscope - with 9X power!
• Robert Hooke - a very complete account of Hooke's work.
• Robert Hooke - including images from his book micrographia, of a flea, a needle and a razor drawn by Hooke based on what he saw with his invention.
• Antony van Leeuwenhoek - although he used a single-lens microscope he was the first to note the presence of micro-organisms.

Text Page 247

Spontaneous Generation - until the invention of the microscope, micro-organism behaviour resulted in people believing in spontaneous generation.

• Spontaneous Generation - sweaty underwear + wheat husks = mice? These beliefs were popular until proved wrong by Louis Pasteur 150 years ago.
• Germs from Nowhere: Spontaneous Generation

Text Page 248

Working with the Microscopic - there are many interesting and challenging careers in the fields of microbiology, immunology and biochemistry.

• Microbiologist & Biochemist - Alberta career profiles.
• How About a Career Exploring Unseen Worlds?

Text Pages 250-251

Hay Infusion - how many living organisms could there be in a handful of hay?

• The Microscope on a Budget - A complete guide to the low cost light microscope for the laboratory, photographers, and hobbyists - contains an excellent page on aquaria experiments such as hay infusions.
• Microbes from a hay infusion - a complete printable pdf guide to the hay infusion.

Text Page 251

The Cell Theory - all living things are made up of cells, all life functions take place within cells, and all cells come from other cells through the process of cell reproduction.

• The History of Cell Theory - with illustrations.
• Cell Theory History - all the way back to the ancient Greeks.

Text Page 252

Louis Pasteur - a very important scientist in early microbiology.

• Louis Pasteur
• The Life and Times of Louis Pasteur
• The work of Louis Pasteur - from the Pasteur Institute in France.

Text Pages 253-260

Developments in Microscopy - there are various techniques and technologies that improve our ability to view the microscopic world.

• Staining Cells - an introductory lab in this technique.
• Staining and Cell Structure - not only does staining add contrast, but certain stains react differently depending on the structures they cover.
• Contrast in Optical Microscopy - quite technical, but has an interactive tutorial showing how changing contrast on a light microscope effects visibility. This gallery shows how effective this technique can be.
• Aperture and Resolution - what is the smallest detail we can see through our microscopes?
• Fluorescence Microscopy - with an image gallery as well.
• Darkfield Microscopy
• Phase Contrast Microscope - nice explanation with a cool simulator viewing area.
• Special Microscopy Techniques - including darkfield, phase contrast, polarised light, and interference microscopy.
• Optical vs. Electron Microscopy - fundamentally different ways of observing the microscopic.
• Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) - thin image slices.
• How a Scanning Electron Microscope works - narrated animation.
• Scanning Electron Microscope image gallery - see how powerful these microscopes are.
• Scanning Electron Microscope - including how it works, and images.
• Virtual scanning electron microscope - samples to view.

Text Page 261

Scanning Probe Microscopy - Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM).

Text Pages 261-263

Gene Mapping - with new microscope technology, we can study the actual structure of DNA.

• The Human Genome Project - gene mapping of all 46 human chromosomes.
• Human Genome Project Information - including ethical, legal, and social issues.
• The Future Of Genetic Research - includes images of DNA from a scanning tunneling electron microscope.
• The International Rice Genome Sequencing Project - interestingly, the entire rice genome is available for you to download... as long as it is for non-commercial purposes.
• Issues and Bioethics: Plant Genome Projects

Text Page 262

Immunostaining - how microscopes help to identify antibodies attacking invaders.

Text Page 264

Three Dimensional Structure of Molecules - how can we create accurate 3D models of molecules?

• X-ray Crystallography: Protein Function - because of a close form/function relationship, seeing a protein can help determine its function.
• Atomic Force Microscopy - imaging can be dome as processes occur, unlike classic crystallography.
• High-Pressure Diffraction - measuring response to high pressure reveals structure.
• Molecular Modeling - and its importance in the chemical workplace.

Text Page 264

Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) Technology - how a jellyfish is helping to better understand neurological disorders like Huntington's Disease.

• GFP Applications - a long list of areas where GFP technology is currently being utilized.
• Protein Linked to Movement Disorders - by using GFP technology, scientists are discovering where these diseases originate.
• Glowing Controversy - GFP technology is not always used for medical purposes...

Cell Organelles - every cell is specialized to perform a certain function and interact with its environment in an open, yet selective, way.

• Animal Cell Model - and plant cell model, interactive illustrations.
• Plant Cells - great illustrations and information on organelles, as well as comparison to animal cells.
• Inside a Cell - interactive tour.
• Cell Structure - a series of slides (click on the blue slide numbers) showing cell organelles through a normal light microscope.
• Cell Structure and Processes - illustrated and interactive.
• Cell Structures & Functions

Text Pages 271-272

Secondary Metabolic Products of Cells - there are many substances made by cells that are not used for the actual structure and function of the cell.

• Plant Secondary Metabolism - includes information on alkaloids, glycosides and various others.
• Essential Oils - used for everything from aromatherapy to mite control in honeybees to agricultural production of the oils found in Alberta.
• Mycotoxins - produced by fungi, help to reduce competition and reduce the appetite of herbivores, can cause allergies in humans.
• Phlorotannins - found in algae, web page has table of uses as well.

Text Pages 271-272

The Cell Membrane - allowing some materials to enter, while keeping everything harmful out.

• The Cell Membrane
• A Cell Membrane Water Channel - how does a cell move water in and out?
• Cell Membrane

Text Page 273

Cell Membrane Proteins - glycoproteins, proteins embedded in the cell membrane with sugar groups hanging off the end, are integral to the movement of substances.

• Membrane Proteins - look for the proteins extending all the way through the membrane, with red sugar groups on the ends.
• Glycoproteins - up close and personal.

Text Page 274

The Particle Model of Matter and Cell Transport - we must understand how particles move to understand the purpose of cell membranes.

• Transport In and Out of Cells - complete coverage of methods and theory.
• Transport Across Cell Membranes - methods, and potential hurdles.

Text Page 275

Diffusion - the natural movement of particles from high to low concentration.

• Transport by Simple Diffusion - general rules about this method of cell membrane transport.
• Diffusion Across Membranes - both passive diffusion and active transport are shown.
• Diffusion - an illustration.

Text Pages 277-278

Osmosis - simple diffusion of water molecules across a semi-permeable membrane.

• Osmosis - explained, with video.
• Principles of Diffusion and Osmosis
• Osmosis - passive diffusion of water across a semi-permeable membrane by diffusion, animation that will download to your computer.

Text Page 278

Facilitated Diffusion - movement with the concentration gradient, but with an added bit of help from some proteins.

• Facilitated Diffusion - an introduction.

Text Pages 278-279

Active Transport - moving molecules against the concentration gradient, using up energy along the way.

• Comparison of Passive and Active Transport
• The Sodium-Potassium Pump: Active Transport - a video downloaded to your hard drive detailing how this important active transport process works.

Text Page 281

Endocytosis and Exocytosis - when you have a large molecule to move, and normal membrane channels just won't do, use a vesicle to finish the job.

• Endocytosis and Exocytosis
• Endocytosis

Text Page 284

Membrane Proteins and Disease - how can we use knowledge of receptor proteins to help fight disease?

• Functions of Membrane Proteins - there are many types of proteins found in a cell membrane.
• Cell Membrane Model - a working model that may be used to help prevent the effects of many diseases.
• How Viruses Take Strong Hold of Cells
• New HIV Receptor, New Hope - can we stop HIV by blocking it from attacking immune cells? This doctor thinks so.
• Receptor Proteins and Cancer - blocking receptor proteins can help in certain cancers.

Text Page 285

Synthetic Membrane Technology - by creating 'fake' cell membranes, scientists can deliver medicine to very specific sites in the body.

• Liposomes - what they are, and how they work.
• Liposomes - what they are, and their uses.

Text Page 286

Transport of Protein Hormones - regulatory hormones are proteins used by the body to bind to a receptor protein and change the behaviour of that cell.

• How Insulin Works - great animation for a drug named Avandia, that has been developed to help diabetics use insulin already present in the body.
• Hormones with Cell Surface Receptors - with insulin used as an animated example.
• How the body utilizes food and the Effect of Diabetes

Text Pages 286-287

Peritoneal Dialysis - by using the concept of concentration gradients, sufferers of kidney failure may still remove wastes and lead an otherwise normal life.

• How Peritoneal Dialysis Works - an animated tutorial.
• Hemodialysis vs Peritoneal Dialysis - advantages and disadvantages of each.

Text Pages 287-288

Reverse Osmosis - just like it sounds; force water through a membrane in the opposite direction it wants to go.

• Managing Water for Peace in the Middle East - desalination may be used to supply all of the people in the Middle East with healthy drinking water.

Text Pages 289-293

A Cell's Ratio of Surface Area to Volume - the larger a cell becomes, the more difficult it is for that cell to survive.

• Why Are Cells So Small? - if it gets too large, there is no way to get it the materials it needs to function.
• Why Are Cells So Small? - the tyranny of mathematics.
• Why Are Cells So Small? - to keep the SA:V ratio low.
• The Sizes of Living Things
• Compensating for a Low Surface Area: Volume Ratio - there are many solutions, from cell shape to transport system to folding membranes.

Text Page 293

The Range of Ratios of Surface Area to Volume - in human cells and plant cells.

• Relative Size of Cells and their Components - did you know a virus is 1000 times smaller than an animal cell?
• Cells and their Sizes
• How Big is a...
• The Largest and Smallest Human Cells - although one human neuron cell can be one meter long or more!

Text Pages 297-300

Plant Structure - what we think of as fairly simple organisms are actually filled with different cells, tissues, organs and organ systems.

• Plants and their Structure - covering everything from the two basic organ systems to specific cells.
• Plant Cell Illustration - with information on all structures.
• Plant Tissues - what they are, and what they do.
• Introduction to Plant Tissues - with plenty of great information and images.
• Plant Structure and Function - with nice illustrations.
• Cells and Tissues of Vascular Plants - an interactive glossary of terms.

Text Pages 301-302

Specialization in Plant Cells - like all multicellular organisms, plants must have specialized cells and tissues to survive.

• Plant Growth - includes apical and lateral meristems.
• Root Hairs
• Root Hairs - information on these important nutrient gathering tissues.
• Root Hairs - information, images and video of growth.
• Root Hair Photos - and even more.
• Basic Anatomy of the Leaf - with stomata and gurad cells, among others.
• Stomata - also with guard cell information.
• Stomata - and guard cells, as seen through a light microscope.
• Plant Vascular Tissue
• Plant Vascular Tissue - including xylem (cells whose function it is to move water throughout the plant) and phloem (moving sugars).

Text Pages 303-305

The Cells involved in Photosynthesis - by studying the functions of specific cells, we can make more sense of the entire process of photosynthesis.

• The Photosynthetic Parts of the Leaf - get an overview of photosynthesis.
• Research into Photosynthesis
• Highlights in Photosynthesis Research
• Contributers to the Theory of Photosynthesis

Text Pages 303-305

Chloroplasts - found only in plant cells, these organelles are where photosynthesis take place.

• Chloroplasts - these structures are green in colour, because they contain the pigment chlorophyll.
• Chlorophyll - structure, function, and an interesting graph showing which colours chlorophyll is most sensitive to.
• Photosynthetic Pigments - chlorophyll is not the only one.
• Cytoplasmic Streaming - another site showing chloroplasts moving through the cytoplasm of Canadian pondweed (Elodea canadensis), both in images and video.

Text Pages 305-308

Gas Production in Plants - two processes, one producing carbon dioxide, and the other producing oxygen.

• Gas Exchange in Plants - both photosynthesis and cellular respiration are discussed.
• Cell Respiration and Photosynthesis
• Respiration and Photosynthesis Compared

Text Pages 306-307

Activity C15 Supplement: Close-up Movie of Bubbling Stem - this QuickTime movie shows the result of this QuickLab.

Text Pages 309-313

The Leaf Tissues and Gas Exchange - there are many layers of cells in a leaf.

• Leaves - information and illustrations.
• The Leaf - with nice illustration.
• What Makes Stomata Open and Close? - carbon dioxide, light, potassium ions and ABA.
• Leaf Epidermal Features - microscopic images.
• Leaf Stomata as Bioindicators of Environmental Change
• Lenticels - pathways through the outer epidermal layers for gas exchange.
• Gas Exchange in Plants - narrated animation of the leaf.

Text Page 313

Leaf Structure in Agriculture and Horticulture - how can knowledge about the leaf help those who work with plants for their living?

• Corn Injury from Balance Herbicide - a herbicide that damages certain photosynthetic pigments.
• Glyphosate - this common herbicide ingredient absorbed through the leaves.
• Plants that Grow when the Lights are Low - how can plants with leaves that are adapted for growing well in the shade help to feed astronauts?

Text Page 315

Transport in Plants - how do plants move water and nutrients with an animal-like circulatory system and heart?

• Capillary Action - water is 'sticky' enough to climb up porous materials.
• Capillary Action

Text Page 316

Cohesion and Adhesion in Water - the molecular structure that gives water its unique properties.

• Cohesion and Adhesion - being attracted to yourself and/or your neighbour.
• Water Properties - what makes water 'sticky'?

Text Pages 316-317

Root Pressure - the movement of water into the roots of the plant, forcing more water up the stem.

• Root Pressure
• How Water gets into Plant Roots - with explanations and animations.

Text Page 317

Colourful Carnations - don't have time for this activity? Here is an image that clearly illustrates the effects of water transport.

Text Pages 317-318

Water Transport in Plants - partly the pushing pressure of water being absorbed into the roots, partly the pulling pressure of transpiration in the leaves.

• Water Transport in Plants - from root to leaf.
• Transport of Water and Minerals in Plants - the properties of water are integral to the survival of plants.
• Hypertonic Solutions - water flows out of plant cells and into hypertonic solutions through the process of plasmolysis.
• Osmosis and Tonicity - scroll down to the bottom to read and see isotonic, hypotonic and hypertonic solutions and their effects on plant and animal cells.

Text Pages 320-321

Sugar Transport in Plants - solid materials travel through the phloem of the plant.

• Translocation in the Phloem - from source to sink.
• Translocation of Food - what is moved through the phloem, and how it moves.
• Pressure-Flow Theory - also known as the Mass Flow hypothesis, describing how sugars, minerals and water all work in conjunction.

Text Page 321

Cell Enlargement - check the end of this page for sieve tube cell information.

Text Pages 323-327

Control Systems in Plants - unable to react as quickly as animals to their environment, plants have developed some amazing ways to adapt.

• Tropisms - time-lapse movies of several different types of tropisms.
• Tropisms - descriptions of phototropism and gravitropism.
• Phototropism - video of a cress seedling.
• Phototropism - video of arabidopsis seedlings.
• Gravitropism - how gravity affects plant growth.
• Heliotropism - video of a cress seedling.
• Plant Tropisms - videos showing phototropism and gravitropism.
• Plants in Space - with related readings, research and resources.
• Auxins - plant hormones and directional growth.
• Auxins
• Plant Hormones

Text Page 328

Flowering Time - when, and why, do plants bloom.

• Tracking the Green Wave of Spring - flowering plants across Canada.
• When Will the Flowers Bloom? - from a desert perspective.

Text Page 329

Biotechnology Research Scientist - designing ways to learn about living systems.

• Careers in Biotechnology
• Biotechnologists in Alberta

Text Page 329

Interview with Dr. Olga Kovalchuk - visit the Alberta Innovation Web site to listen to a radio interview with Dr. Kovalchuk to learn more about the fascinating research taking place at the University of Lethbridge.

• Reach and Discover Magazine - Click on the Spring 2005 publication and go to the article called "Desirable Destination".

Text Page 331

Cellular Transport - medical and industrial careers that involve knowledge of how cells move materials.

• Bacteria in Low Nutrient Environments
• Food Preservatives
• Vasculoid
• Cholesterol, Breast Cancer, and HIV
• Arsenic
• Immunology