biologists will be like this is a very simplified diagram of a mammalian cell

chemists will be like this is a molecule

okay but this is what the best render of a human cell looks like

They are not kidding

We are full of so many fuckign guys

This is actually a full on interactive map! You can put your cursor over any structure to focus on it and see its name, you can focus on all the structures that are part of a specific pathway and, when you click on proteins, you open it up on PhosphoSitePlus, which is a curated database of proteins and their post-translational modifications. It has a helpful description and summary for each protein!

This is a HUGE complementary resource for learning molecular biology! It really helps to make sense of each individual pathway and it puts everything into perspective. It only focuses on human, rat and certain other animal cells, so it won’t have all the pathways one would wish to see… But for the pathways it does include, consider opening the image and accompanying it as you learn or revise them!

oh wow, thank you for the additional information, i had no idea, that’s so much cooler than just the flat picture.

Propaganda!

Lysine (Lys) is an α-amino acid that plays several roles in humans, most importantly proteinogenesis, but also in the crosslinking of collagen polypeptides, uptake of essential mineral nutrients, and in the production of carnitine, which is key in fatty acid metabolism. Due to its importance in several biological processes, a lack of lysine can lead to several disease states including defective connective tissues, impaired fatty acid metabolism, anemia, and systemic protein-energy deficiency.

Luteinizing hormone (LH) is a hormone produced by gonadotropic cells in the anterior pituitary gland. In females, an acute rise of LH known as an LH surge, triggers ovulation and development of the corpus luteum. In males, it stimulates Leydig cell production of testosterone. It acts synergistically with follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). In both males and females, LH works upon endocrine cells in the gonads to produce androgens.

Last day for this poll! Reblog for reach!

Propaganda!

Phagocytes are cells that protect the body by ingesting harmful foreign particles, bacteria, and dead or dying cells. They are essential for fighting infections and for subsequent immunity.

Totipotent stem cells are a class of stem cells that are able to divide and produce all of the differentiated cells in an organism. They are the earliest type of cell in a cell lineage. Spores and zygotes are examples of totipotent cells.

THESE ARE MY TWO FAVOURITE CELLS OF ALL TIME and as everyone in my biology class knows I'm obsessed with them. But I have to go with phagocytes because

.They are like guard dogs that live in your blood and keep you safe by eating any pathogens (viruses or bacteria) that get into your body. Totipotent cells are absolutely necessary for reproduction and forming new life, but as an adult you have barely any/ no totipotent stem cells, whereas if you didn't have phagocytes your immune system would not work. Although this might not make the phagocyte "better", it's probably up to which you prefer personally but I think that phagocytes are so much more important to me for this reason.

.They are so cute!! They hunt down pathogens like a dog chasing a ball. Just check out this video: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=I_xh-bkiv_c&pp=ygUacGhhZ29jeXRlIGNoYXNpbmcgYmFjdGVyaWE%3D

When they engulf pathogens, they first reach out with these things called pseudopodia, which means fake feet! They have tiny little feet!! How cute is that!!

.They are badass. They're like soldiers protecting your body. They have inside them, contained in a lysosome, enzymes that digest bacteria. They eat these invaders and digest them. If I was a pathogen I'd be so scared. Some of them are antigen-presenting which means that they can show other white blood cells the antigens from the bacteria so they can recognise it and know which antigens to hunt down. So cool

.There are about six million phagocytes per one litre of human blood, so you right now have more phagocytes inside of you than there are humans on this planet. Personally I find this a comforting thought, knowing that so many of these beautiful creatures are dedicated to keeping me safe. I love phagocytes

Lactose: e-excuse me...

Stomach: hey, what do we have here? Some goddamned lactose!

Small intestine: we don't like lactose here, ya know? You're gatecrashing a very private party!

Large intestine: (pushes him, making him stumble) there's two ways you can leave here... The easy way, or the hard way. What's it gonna be?

Lactose: but I...

Lactase: (deep voice) step back, everyone. (walks up and puts his arm around lactose's shoulders) he's with *me*

Large intestine: lactase?!

Small intestine: b-but you're both...

Lactase: I *said* he's with me. You got a problem with that?

Stomach: (finishes sizing him up) right. Course not. It's cool, lactose. Just don't cause any *problems*, you hear?

Lactose: I-I w-

Lactase: you don't have to answer that, babe. Just keep walking

nobody fucking appreciates me

I appreciate the fact that later in the evening, lactase is gonna grab the entire length of lactose’s structure with its active site and then break lactose in half.

Oh come on, like little milk sugar boy doesn't love getting his back blown out from time to time.

String identified: actctacatagaactatttactagatcagaatatagttagtttacaaTaataaattgaacttactactacaataaacttagttactaattttactaatgtattattacggtCttcactttcaaaactactatatatatatagcgacatacattacttatattgactagagattgtacttctttacttataactacttgatgttgactttt

Closest match: Sphaerochaetaceae bacterium isolate 5e6036d3-3158-4e40-a849-1948fc913240 genome assembly, chromosome 1

(image source)

why is the human body composed of such capricious tubes

page 188 of volume 25 on shelf 2 of wall 4 of hexagon (below cut)

[Fig. 01 Mikuchondria]

The powerhouse of YOUR cell

String identified: gcaTc

Closest match: Vocaloides Hatsune mitochondrial DNA

Makes me think of @feefal

OHHH!! glad i'm not the only one who sees Miku and thinks "this girl is the building block of all living things"

The Autistic Teacher

THIS IS SO GOOD. This is so good for explaining what the sensory part of autism is like!!!!

@a-captions-blog can u do this one pls

[Image descriptions: Square panels watermarked The Autistic Teacher titled, ‘The 8 senses.’ Long description follows.

1. The title panel shows colourful circles for sight, taste, scent, touch, and hearing and black silhouettes for a person pushing a boulder up a hill, a person covering their genital area, and a person balancing on a board (presumably sliding down a hill).

2. Text reads, ‘Everyone knows about the 5 senses...but actually there are 8.’ The colourful circles with the 5 senses are shown to the left, and each of the silhouettes from before is shown again with descriptions. The person pushing the boulder up the hill is ‘Proprioception: Sense of body awareness and the strength needed to complete an action.’ The person covering their genital area is ‘Interoception: Sense of the internal body. Body systems for internal regulation.’ The person sliding down a hill is ‘Vestibular: Sense of movement, balance, and spatial orientation.’

3. The panel on sight. Text reads: Sense of sight: You can be hypersensitive or/and hyposensitive to any of the senses and this can fluctuate both day to day and with age. On a day when you are tired or unwell you might not be able to tolerate sensory input like you did yesterday Hyposensitivity: Someone who is under responsive to sight might like bright or colourful lighting. They might have difficulty naming colours. Hypersensitivity: Someone who is hypersensitive to light might find life easier with sunglasses. Some find fluorescent lights intolerable while others struggle with sunlight. Rooms with too much visual stimulation might make them feel dizzy.

4. The panel on taste. Text reads: Sense of taste: You can be hypersensitive or/and hyposensitive to any of the senses and this can fluctuate both day to day and with age. On a day when you are tired or unwell you might not be able to tolerate sensory input like you did yesterday Hyposensitivity: Someone who is under responsive to taste might seek out strong flavours! They may also eat non food items. Hypersensitivity: Someone who is hypersensitive to taste might have a limited diet and even anxiety linked to new foods. They might not be able to tolerate toothpaste and have a flavourless version.

5. The hearing panel. Text reads: Sense of Hearing: You can be hypersensitive or/and hyposensitive to any of the senses and this can fluctuate both day to day and with age. It is common for people to be hypersensitive to sound but love lound music of their choice Hyposensitivity: Someone who is under responsive to sound might not notice quiter or background noise. They might seek out loud noises or music. Hypersensitivity: Someone who is hyper sensitive to noise might find loud noise painful. Lots of different noises – complex noise such as a room of people chatting, can also be challenging even if they are at a lower level.

6. The panel on touch. Text reads: Sense of Touch: You can be hypersensitive or/and hyposensitive to any of the senses and this can fluctuate both day to day and with age. On a day when you are tired or unwell you might not be able to tolerate sensory input like you did yesterday Hyposensitivity: Someone who is under responsive to touch might appear to have a very high pain threshold. They might hurt others accidentally as they don’t understand how much pressure to apply. Hypersensitivity: Someone who is hypersensitive may find touch painful. They might have strong aversions to particular materials and find tags unbearable. They might struggle with hair brushing, hair washing, brushing teeth...even showering. They might find mess or textures challenging.

7. The panel on smell. Text reads: Sense of Smell: You can be hypersensitive or/and hyposensitive to any of the senses and this can fluctuate both day to day and with age. On a day when you are tired or unwell you might not be able to tolerate sensory input like you did yesterday Hyposensitivity: Someone who is under responsive to smell might not be able to pick up on dangerous chemicals or gases. Hypersensitivity: Someone who is hyper sensitive to smell might gay at a particular smell or perfume. Strong smells might make them physically feel sick.

8. The panel on proprioception. Text reads: Sense of Proprioception: Sense of body awareness and the strength needed to complete an action Hyposensitivity: Someone who is under responsive might not know how much pressure to apply, for example, when using a pencil. They might enjoy jumping and bouncing into things. They might be accident prone! They might crave hugs and deep pressure. Hypersensitivity: Someone who is hypersensitive might avoid physical contact and appear nervous in busy places with lots of people.

9. The panel on interoception. Text reads: Sense of Interoception: Sense of the internal body. Body systems for internal regulation Hyposensitivity: Someone who is under responsive might not know when they are feeling unwell until they are really unwell. They might not realise they are hot or cold or hungry or thirsty. They might experience Alexithymia (difficulty identifying emotions) Hypersensitivity: Someone who is hypersensitivy might feel pain more intensely and for longer. They might feel emotions more deeply. They might have heightened awareness of hunger or thirst.

10. The panel on vestibular. Text reads: Sense of vestibular: sense of movement, balance and spatial orientation. Hyposensitivity: Someone who is under responsive might seek movement such as swinging, bouncing, rocking, and jumping. Hypersensitivity: Someone who is hypersensitivy might get travel sick in cars or feel anxious when they experience movement. They might struggle with body control and coordination. \End ID]

sorry but can we please accept that human beings are not particularly sexually dimorphic or do i have to live in the culture war until i fucking die

notable examples of sexual dimorphism among animals include: different skin/fur/feather colors and patterns, different body shapes and sizes, and body functions being so drastically different that for hundreds of years scientists had the impression they were different species.

Meanwhile in humans, neither skin nor hair color is different among sexes, body size difference has a relatively huge overlap making the averages barely distinguishable and body functions practically only differ in relation to child bearing and care. Any differences outside of that is either negligable or more influenced by local culture than people think.

so, yeah, let's get rid of gender essentialism based on outdated conceptualizations of sexual dimorphic species, please.

150 years ago, a boy was born to my great-great grandmother. And that was the last time that happened anywhere on my maternal line until my son was born in 2016. This is a story about intersex people.

For 150 years, the women of my family kept having daughters, who either also had daughters, or they were oddly unable to have children. Strange quirk, we assumed. No boys.

In the late 1970s, my mother’s sister had a daughter with Down Syndrome. Genetic testing was done, and it was discovered that although she looked female, she actually possessed the male XY chromosome combination. Her sister was born three years later. And because of that genetic concern, her genes were checked. And she possessed … the XY chromosomes. A third daughter, born a few years later, possessed the usual XX.

Keeping in the tradition, my mother had two daughters. Because of our cousins’ genetic conditions, my sister and I were both checked. Both of us appeared typically XX. And so for more than thirty years, it was dismissed as a quirk, and no one said the word intersex because that wasn’t a thing in 1980.

In 2014 I had a son, breaking the chain of girls. It was an interesting story! I then had two daughters, and didn’t bother to do any genetic checking.

And then in 2020 my sister became pregnant. Early genetic testing said boy, XY. Twenty week anatomy scan said girl. Definitely 100% girl. Uhhh?! As expected, she*** was born genetically male, possessing only male gonads in the form of undescended testes, but female external genitalia.

It was Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome, a genetic mutation carried on the X chromosome. See, all bodies start female. Then, when the hormonal influence of the Y chromosome kicks in, instructions on the X are supposed to detect the testosterone and create male genitalia. Except a person with AIS is non-reactive to testosterone, and the body stays, at least superficially, female. Genetic check would say boy. Presence of testes says boy. Pants check says girl. Making the question of sex (sex. Gender is something else, ok?) distinctly complicated.

If someone has a mother who is a carrier of AIS, there are 4 possibilities. Unaffected XY, and so genetically and structurally male. Affected XY, and so intersex. Affected XX, and so a female carrier. Unaffected XX female and entirely unaffected.

My grandmother was a carrier. My aunt and mother are carriers. My sister is a carrier. When my niece was born, my single non-intersex cousin and I did genetic testing. And we are both carriers as well. My son is an unaffected XY male. My niece is affected XY intersex. Both my cousin and I also have 2 daughters each. And, because it is medically and psychologically relevant, we had them tested. All XX.****

And I was ready to check one more thing: are my daughters carriers? There is a 50/50 chance. And then I stopped, because they are preschoolers, and that is their reproductive decision. They know three intersex people. And if they care, someday they can check their genes and the odds that my grandchildren will be intersex. The intersex people they know will, I hope, be able to talk to them about the beauty of their lives as one of the wonderful variations of humanity.

Reblogging today, for reasons

Reblogging to this blog so this is easier to find!

This post has been getting a bump in notes recently. It could just be random circulation, but I'm inclined to think that the Olympics has something to do with it.

I hate to use cis women and intersex people just as examples, so I think it's worth highlighting that even with trans people removed from this discussion, it's important to remember all of this for the sake of intersex people themselves. Biological sex is infinitely reducible and splittable into so many different moving parts, and it's the social machine of deciding which parts of that "matter" to defining a man or woman that makes what man and woman are. Intersex people have always been subjected to this. Trans people are too.

Reblogging to this blog so this is easier to find!

ID: Two graphics. The first is a white graphic with a blue drawing and outline of the vulva and clitoris.

At the top of the graphic is text reading: "The Clitoris". A line points to the tip of the clitoris, with black text labeling it: "Clitoris glans" with another line pointing to the rest of the clitoris, covered with flesh, labeled: "Clitoral body"

Below that, partially under the outer labias, a line on the left points to something that looks like a two sacks, connected on both sides, labeled: "Vestibular bulb"

On the right, between the vestibular bulbs, is a small circular opening labeled: "Urethral opening"

On the left, a line points to a part that attaches to the clitoral body and settles on both sides of the vestibular bulbs. It's labeled: "Crura of clitoris" On the right, a line points to a large opening below the urethral opening, labeled: "Vaginal opening"

The second graphic has both a drawing of the inside of the vulva and a drawing of the penis. It's labeled at the top: "Homologous Structures In The Clitoris And Penis"

The tip of the clitoris and the tip of the penis both have a line pointing towards them and black text labeling it: "Glans" Below, a line points to where the clitoris seperates into two different leg-like parts and further down the graphic of the penis, both of which are labeled: "Shaft"

Below that, a line points both to the two sack-like parts below the clitoris [in between the crura of clitoris] and to a ribbed line that runs up the center of the penis, labeled: "Bulb of Vestibule"

Below that, a line points to both the crura of the clitoris (shaded in dark green) and the inner part of leg-like sections that hang off the graphic of the penis, labeled: "Ischiocavernosus Muscles"

Below, a line points to both the bottom of the bulb of vestibule on the clitoris and the penis and its labeled: "Bulbocavernosus Muscles"

Below that a line points to both the tip of the Ischiocavernosus Muscles on the clitoris and the penis and its labeled: "Crus (Plural: Crura)"

End ID.

normalize calling viagra and menopausal hormone treatments gender affirming care

the absolute terror people have about transgender hrt is diminished when you point out that actually, my mom does the same thing and so does yours probably 🤷‍♀️ pretty banal in reality

Posts like these are the leftist equivalent of Ben Shapiro tweets. Just so misinformed, ignorant, and based solely in personal opinion or emotion, that you can't even begin to properly address it without teaching a college course.

Gender affirming therapies are good, but these things are clearly not GATs. I don't know why you would say this, but it's annoying. I am tired of people sprinkling the right dressing onto their word salad and getting huge traction from an unthinking, uninformed userbase.

Hi, I'm Kay. I was a pharmacy technician for fifteen years, ten of which were at an independently owned pharmacy. I read pharmacological studies and assisted in compounding medications as requested by the doctors in my area.

Erectile dysfunction medications absolutely are gender affirming therapy. Their primary function is to allow cisgender men to maintain an erection. They are outright referred to as "male enhancement" medications. A significant portion of cis men who are unable to maintain a erection feel like less of a man. Medications like Viagra and Cialis allow them to feel like a man again. If that's not affirming one's gender, I don't know what is.

Similarly, menopausal hormone treatments are used when someone's body begins to stop creating estrogens and progestins as cisgender women age. What happens when a body used to those hormones suddenly doesn't have them anymore? Well, the latent testosterone levels in a cis woman's body is enough to cause darker and thicker body hair, acne, a change in sex drive, and even thinning hair or balding. Cis women going through menopause don't feel like women because their hormones have shifted. Again, gender affirming therapy.

The term "gender affirming therapy" doesn't refer to specifically transgender people's medications. The medical term therapy refers not only to medication, but also medical procedures and surgeries. If a medical therapy affirms one's gender (no matter the gender), it's gender affirming therapy.

Imagine an alien sharing a cool human fact they just learned like ”hey guys did you know that the silvery markings on humans actually aren’t true stripes? They’re called stretch marks, they happen when the human is growing fast enough to actually outgrow their skin, which is apparently something that just fucking happens to almost all of them at some point of their life.”

and another one is like ”wait so you’re saying humans don’t have stripes.”

”actually they do, but the stripes are invisible. There’s genetic code that’d give them stripes but they’re just the same colour as the rest of the skin. So the visible stripes are not real stripes and the real stripes are invisible.”

”I swear if you tell me one more weird human thing today I’m beating your ass.”

The human in the room looks up and goes "Wait I have stripes?"

"what do you mean cats can see them, but I can't?"

what do you fucking mean cats can see them

I WENT THROUGH THE SAME THOUGHT PROCESS

MY CAT THINKS I HAVE STRIPES?!?!?!?

NO NO ITS NOT "IT THINKS I HAVE THEM"

BECAUSE WE DO APPARENTLY

SO ITS ACTUALLY A VERY DISTRESSED "MY CAT THINKS I KNOW I HAVE STRIPES?!?!?!"

AND I THINK THATS A BIT WORSE TO BE COMPLETELY HONEST

MY CAT KNEW I HAD STRIPES BEFORE I DID?!?!?!?!?!?

I DIDNT THINK OF THAT

WELL I DID AND NOW I CANT UNTHINK IT

@beenovel @messiambrandybuck these are the variants

WHAT

apparently there's a disease where they become visable, and these are the most common kind??

Ngl it looks cool but???? I'm still in shock tbh

I NEED TO KNOW WHAT PATTERN OF STRIPES I HAVE AND THE CATS WON'T TELL ME

I COULD HAVE A CHECKERBOARD ON MY BACK AND NO ONE WOULD KNOW???

They’re called Blaschko's lines!!!

The reverse can also be true ... kinda.

I remember reading somehwre the human eye can see more shades of green than any other colour. I just googled it and the human eye can see 10 Million different shades of green.

So human could see stripes and patterns on, say, a reptillian race who maybe can’t see as many colours as we do, and think they’re just one boring shade of green.

Human: We have stripes?! I wish I could see them. I hope they look like yours.

Reptile Alien: Wait, I HAVE STRIPES!

*mutual excitement all around*

[Image ID: The first image is a screenshot of some tags, which read, 'FIRST IM LIKE WTF I HAVE STRIPES???? THEN I ACCIDENTLY LOOKED IN THE NOTES AND DECIDED TO SCROLL AND THIS IS WHAT I FIND???? BRO (gender neutral) WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN THAT CATS CAN SEE THE NON SEEABLE STRIPES THAT WE APPARENTLY HAVE??? ARE YOU FUCKING TELLING ME CATS THINK WE HAVE VISIBLE STRIPES??'.

The second image is a diagram showing 6 different types of skin patterns. Some of them look more like swirls or lines, whilst other looks more like blocks of colour.

The third image shows the back of two different people, who both have visible swirling markings across their skin.

The fourth image is of Chris Flemming, from the scene where Gayle asks "OK, was anyone going to tell me-, which is a meme. End ID]

requested by @love-always-adelaide

RATING: PARTIALLY RELIABLE

The post states that stretch marks 'happen when the human is growing fast enough to actually outgrow their skin', which is roughly correct, if not the most accurate way of saying it. Stretch marks do occur due the stretching of skin, generally due to periods of fast growth, although there are several factors which also affect stretch marks.

Source: 'The cause of stretch marks is stretching of the skin. Their severity is affected by several factors, including your genetics and the degree of stress on the skin.'

The next statement is, 'the stripes are invisible. There’s genetic code that’d give them stripes but they’re just the same colour as the rest of the skin. So the visible stripes are not real stripes and the real stripes are invisible'

It is true that human skin has lines that are usually invisible. These are correctly identified by @demonoflight as Blaschko's lines.

Source: 'These Blaschko lines are now thought to trace the journeys our cells took as they divided and grew into the skin we're now in, during embryonic development. Specifically, they're drawn by the paths of keratinocytes – the main cell in our surface skin – and melanocytes – the cells deep in the epidermis responsible for our skin pigment.'

However, it is not correct that cats can see these lines.

Source: 'Contrary to some internet rumors, they can't actually be seen by other animals either (no, your cat cannot see your secret stripes).'

There are several conditions which can cause Blaschko's lines to become visible. Follow the source link for the full list.

Source: 'Numerous conditions can follow Blaschko's lines including [...]'

Furthermore, it should be noted that there are other patterns that are unrelated to Blaschko's lines.

Source: 'These lines are to be distinguished from other linear patterns such as Voight’s lines, Langer’s lines, and the lines of innervation of the spinal nerves'These lines are to be distinguished from other linear patterns such as Voight’s lines, Langer’s lines, and the lines of innervation of the spinal nerves. They do not follow any known nervous, vascular or lymphatic structures in the skin.'

The final statement regarding human colour vision sensitivity state that, 'the human eye can see more shades of green than any other colour. I just googled it and the human eye can see 10 Million different shades of green.'

It is true that the human eye is most sensitive to green light under daylight conditions, although this isn't the same thing as seeing more shades.

Source: 'Under daylight conditions, the average normal sighted human eye is most sensitive at a wavelength of 555 nm, resulting in the fact that green light at this wavelength produces the impression of highest "brightness" when compared to light at other wavelengths.'

However, the claim that the human eye can see 10 million shades of green does not seem accurate. Estimates vary on the number of colours that can be seen by the human eye. Sources vary between a million and 10 million total colours - which makes 10 millions shades of green alone an unlikely number.

Source: '[...] the addition of the red-green system boosts the number of “colors” we can see to upwards of one million.'

Source: 'The visible spectrum for humans falls between ultraviolet light and red light. Scientists estimate that humans can distinguish up to 10 million colors.'

Source: 'A healthy human eye has three types of cone cells, each of which can register about 100 different colour shades, therefore most researchers ballpark the number of colours we can distinguish at around a million.'

Source: 'Since each type of cone enables the eye to distinguish approximately 100 shades, the average human combines those exponentially and is able to see about 1 million shades.'

Propaganda!

Large granular lymphocytes (LGL), also known as natural killer cells or NK cells, are a type of cytotoxic lymphocyte critical to the innate immune system that belong to the rapidly expanding family of known innate lymphoid cells (ILC) and represent 5–20% of all circulating lymphocytes in humans. The role of NK cells is analogous to that of cytotoxic T-cells in the vertebrate adaptive immune response. These cells provide rapid responses to virus-infected cells and other intracellular pathogens, and also respond to tumor formation.

Proto-oncogenes are genes that, under normal circumstances, play a role in stimulating cell division, or in helping cells stay alive. But sometimes a proto-oncogene mutates or creates too many copies of itself; when this happens, it becomes a potentially cancer-causing oncogene.

rb to make a biological essentialist mad <3

“This collapse is a telltale sign of a problem known as publication bias. Small, early studies which found a significant sex difference were likelier to get published than research finding no male-female brain difference.”

i have a few resources i look to consistently but i'm gonna plug anatomy for sculptors as One Of The Most Useful. great if you're a 3D artist, INVALUABLE if you're a 2D artist. gives you turnarounds of specific limbs/fiddly body parts like ears. great especially if you're referencing a photo and start looking at an individual part like 'wait, what the hell is going on in there'