Tissues and Silk.

The components that are essential for learning about tissues are their form and function. When thinking about tissues, it should be clear that tissues are an union of similar cells that perform a distinct function. This can be related to the material silk. Silk is a combination of just water and protein. It looks a white, kind like wool and this threadlike material has certain properties.  In the TED video by Flo Omenetto, he explains some of the qualities of silk. Silk can dissolve, but it also can be stable for years,  it’s edible, and it can be implanted in the human body. Using silk they were able to make many things from cups, to medicine holders, and even bones, all because they utilized the properties of silk by arranging the components in a different way. Or highlighting certain components of silk. In a like manner all the tissues share similar aspects but, by utilizing certain qualities of cells and other non-living aspects they become multi-functional for different jobs based on their form.  So in the way that silk can perform different functions like a cup, bone, or clear film based on how they look microscopically. Cells in our body can perform different functions like protection, secretion, absorption, and binding. The only difference of course is that the cell that make up tissue won't change between types. For example, skin tissue won't ever suddenly become lung tissue. But the cup in silk could be rearrange and recycled into another material because it doesn't have DNA to tell it what to be. Silk is also very special because it can be implanted in the body and won't need to be retrieved. In this way silk is able of coop with the body and maintain a stable environment, that won't need to be changed once desired result occurs. It may normally fluctuate within the body but unlike some treatment that needs replacing. This material, once in can remain there and be OK. So not only does it show the correlation between form and function. Its parts ( like a bone made out of this material can maintain a stable environment within the body.)   
http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-silk.htm#
http://www.tufts.edu/home/feature/?p=optics

Write-Away Friday

Yet again this post is the same as the one for my Chemistry Blog.  Please click here to view it. I hope you enjoy!

A Three Year Goal!!!!

This year I had the opportunity to go to Bonita Park near Ruidoso with the Mayfield Orchestra for the third time. When I heard that they had a 65' tower rock wall, I immediately set a goal to climb it to the top. Every year for three years I have gotten sick while we were there. The funny thing is we have gone each year during different seasons in the year and the sicknesses have had different symptoms as well. The timing was always just perfect for me to get sick. So this year on Friday I felt really sick, and I stayed in bed and tried to get better. Around ten Mrs. DaSilva, who was a chaperon, came to check on me and told me that my group was at the zip-line/ rock wall. I had missed the chance to do it for the past two years, but I still wasn't feeling well and so I went back to sleep and Mrs. DaSilva left. Not too long after that I decided that no matter what I was going to go climb that wall. So I got ready for the day and met up with my group down at the rock wall area. I immediately was on the rock wall and climbing. It seemed too easy at first and I was climbing really fast. I was so close to the top, when I slipped and fell. The lady holding on to the rope caught me and didn't let me fall far. I was out of breath and my hands were tired. I still didn't feel well,but I knew I had to make it to the top. From below I heard my team encouraging me and I knew coming down without reaching the top was not an option. I kept screaming to the lady holding the rope "Just don't let me go! Just don't let me go!" over and over again. Then I looked over and there was a guy on the side of the wall looking over from the zip-line platform. He also gave me encouragement, especially because I kept falling at the same points on the wall. He said something that stuck in my head. He told me the next four hand holds I should do and then he said "Just grab those four and that's all you have to do." So I did it!!   made it to the top and I rang the cowbell to show I had done it. But what I realized from those simple words "and that all you have to do" is that as we are going along in life, we reach points where we get stuck and we fall countless times. But when we have a plan to get through them, and we make the challenge seem possible, eventually we can make our goal. And it doesn't matter whether we do it the first time, or it takes us multiple times. If we try our best that is all we can ask of ourselves. This year in my life, I feel like I am taking on a rock wall challenge metaphorically. I know that somethings will be easy, but other things will be hard and I will fall. I know that when I fall and things seem too hard for me, that I can endure through it. I am especially not looking forward to catching up from the days I missed, but when I do my best, like I did on the rock wall, then I can be proud of all things that are accomplished. I plan on enduring to the end no matter what challenges arise!

  http://www.bonitapark.com/activities.html