Books in Cells: The Building Blocks of Life series

The amazing diversity of fungi, protists, and algae is, in many instances, difficult to detect with the naked eye. Readers will learn all about the internal structures, genetic material, biochemical processes, and taxonomy that define these varied, small yet complex eukaryotic organisms. This volume demonstrates the many important functions that fungi, protists, and algae serve in the natural world, as well as in the lives of humans through various foods, medicines, and biotechnologies.

Plants may seem like simple organisms, but their complex systems for food production, reproduction, and protection make them some of the most highly adapted living things on the planet. From the arctic tundra to the tropical rainforests, plants dominate the land and produce the energy necessary to sustain life on Earth. Plant Cells investigates these amazing organisms and explores how they have provided cures for some of today's deadliest diseases. Plants may also play a vital role in helping to solve some of the world's most pressing problems, such as air pollution, nonrenewable resource consumption, and food shortages. From low-lying mosses to massive redwoods than 30 stories high, plants all have one thing in common: They all began life as a single cell.

Some 3.8 billion years ago, in an era of churning seas and murky skies, a few chemicals combined under the right conditions, and life emerged on planet Earth. From that first cell, life progressed to a myriad of one-celled organisms, to organisms capable of photosynthesis, to multicellular organisms, to simple plant and animal forms, up to the complex life-forms we know today. The Evolution of Cells traces these developments and how they may have occurred, through the scientific study of fossils, relationships among organisms, biochemistry of current life-forms, genetic sequencing, and laboratory experiments. Readers will also explore the complexity of cells and the ways science is making use of internal cell mechanisms for new discoveries in sustainable energy sources, cleaning up pollution, improving the food supply, and treating disease.

Scientific progress often sparks disputes about the meaning of a discovery, the research methods, and the possible uses of new technology. From the debate about teaching evolution in public schools to the modern controversies of ownership that arise in the context of gene patenting and medical tissues, there have been many ethical and religious arguments for and against further scientific advancements. Stem Cell Research and Other Cell-Related Controversies explores many of these complex issues in cell research and technology, including strategies for pursuing human stem cell-based therapies and the genetic modification of plants, animals, and humans.

The amazing complexity of human anatomy and physiology is dependent upon its single most basic unit: the cell. Humans can attribute their overall health to homeostasis, the balance of activity within properly functioning cells. Additionally, cells are affected by the food we eat along with the microscopic entities that make us ill. Cells and Human Health covers how cells work to maintain human health and immunity as well as the history of cell discovery and the basics of cellular activity. Readers will also learn the processes of illnesses and corresponding genetics that compromise a cell's proper activity in the human being.

Since cells are the smallest of all living organisms, scientists have had to develop various methods and tools to examine and research them. In the 17th century, the microscope was invented, allowing researchers a glimpse at the cell. Today, supercomputers put cells and experiments to the test. In microbiology laboratories and cancer research centers, well-trained, dedicated scientists work to explore the science of cells, making biotechnology a continuously growing field. In How Scientists Research Cells, learn how the first discovery of cells led to the first cloned mammal and additional scientific advancements.

Cells are considered one of the most basic units of life, yet their structure, processes, and reproduction are intricate and complex. From plasma membranes to cell organelles to the macromolecules that are the brick and mortar of a cell, structure is an important aspect to maintain the life processes of a cell. Some of these processes, including transfer of information from DNA to RNA to protein and the control of gene expressions, are necessary functions that aid in cell reproduction. In Cell Structure, Processes, and Reproduction, readers will explore how the major characteristics of a cell are crucial in enabling these tiny units to carry out specialized functions in multicellular and single-celled organisms.

Cells breathe, fuel chemical reactions, communicate with one another, and reproduce. The study of these minute factories in plants and animals has unraveled many mysteries of how organisms function and has provided a basis for the development of therapies to treat debilitating human diseases. This dynamic volume explains the structure, evolution, and intricacies of this versatile unit of life. Students will learn about the difference between prokaryotes and eukaryotes, the organelles that support a cell's functions, and the history of cell research from its discovery to current debates about the use of stem cells.

Bacteria and viruses are among the oldest agents on Earth and reveal much about the planet's past and evolution. As scientists and doctors make progress in fighting the harmful effects of bacteria and viruses, they also often make discoveries that can lead to life-saving vaccines and antibiotics, making the fields of microbiology and biochemistry more intriguing and challenging than ever. In this volume, readers will venture into the realm of bacteria and viruses to explore these constantly changing agents and the roles they play in nature, medicine, and disease.

Biochemical reactions, which facilitate metabolic and / or photosynthetic changes in each life form through the actions of enzymes, make all life possible. This insightful volume considers the various types, causes, and results of different reactions that operate at the cellular level and beyond to sustain biological activity. Readers will explore the early discoveries of the first biochemists and trace these developments and their impact to the latest advancements in and applications of biochemistry, ultimately leading to a deeper understanding of life on Earth.

Nucleic acids, amino acids, proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates are the basic chemical molecules that are vital to life for all organisms, human and otherwise. They determine our genetic makeup, provide energy, and enable important chemical reactions. This volume delves into the structure, function, and interrelationships of these components of life. Sidebars on chemists, molecular biologists, and researchers link the biochemical discoveries of the past with the latest scientific advancements and their applications in health and medicine.