General Biology

Unit 3 Discussion

Subscribe

The Importance of the Cell in Human Health

The cell is the basic unit of life. It is a highly organized structure composed of numerous organelles, cytoplasm, cytoskeletal structures and surrounded by a plasma membrane. Each of these structures has their own specific functions that allow the cell to survive. In addition, cells need to communicate with each other. In multicellular organisms, cell to cell communication is necessary for development and function of organs and organ systems. Dysfunction of cellular components and/or cellular communication may not only affect the individual cell but may affect the entire organism resulting in a clinical disorder.

For this week’s Discussion, you will be assigned a disorder that is a result of cellular dysfunction. Please address the six questions below for your assigned disorder. Then, throughout the week, review your classmates’ posts and comment as appropriate on at least two other posts per the Discussion Guidelines.

Last Name

Disorder Assigned

 A-C

Achondrogenesis type 1A

 D-E

Bardet-Biedl Syndrome

 F-G

Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy

 H-I

Gaucher Disease

 J-L

Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS)

 M-N

Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy

 O-P

Leigh’s Disease

 Q-R

Niemann-Pick type C

 S-T

Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia

 U-W

Pompe Disease

 X-Z

Zellweger Syndrome

 Address the following for your assigned disorder:

1. Describe the symptoms/outcomes of the disorder.
2. Identify the organelle that is affected.
3. Discuss the normal function of this organelle
4. Describe how the disorder disrupts the normal function of this organelle