Day 6 - March 28, 2009

My body is continuing to change. My bud, or meristem is developing and I'm beginning to feel a stem coming on!

My body is continuing my internal regulations, from nutrient uptake from my roots to cellular respiration and photosynthesis to keep me green and fed. The more I experience it, the more I know that cellular respiration isn't just as simple as oxygen and sugar turning into energy. It's happening in my cells' cytoplasm as well, and it's making me feel more and more energetic! The ATP in my body feels awesome, since it's formed from my own adenine base from my DNA and ribose, the sugar from my RNA. It's also coupled with three phosphate groups. My ATP is formed in my mitochondria, like I said before, however, ADP, my one-phosphate-short-future, is a big contributor. It's a form of respiration called Aerobic, which uses a sugar molecule (C6H12O6) , 6 oxygen molecules (6O2), 36 ADP molecules, and 36 inorganic phosphates (Pi). Needless to say, hydrogen is separated from the sugars and helps for water... then the party starts, the water provides a massive release of energy and BAM! 36 ATP! This energy helps my somatic cells grow and develop, so my cells can divide and I can grow up, up, up!

B. Rapa

Meristem: The budding stem which contains some plant cells which do not have a distinct feature or purpose. They adapt and multiply based on what is needed (leaf, stem, etc...)

DNA: Deoxyribonucleic Acid. DNA is a long strand of polymers located in the nucleus of a cell and formed from nucleotides (Adenine, Thymine, guanine, cytosine), sugars and phosphates. DNA shaped like a double helix. It contains all genetic information.

RNA: Ribonucleic Acid. Structurally similar to DNA, however, it is usually single-stranded. The RNA molecule plays an important role in producing protein from DNA "blueprints". Certain types of RNA, such as “Messenger RNA” are a ribonucleic acid that carries genetic information for protein synthesis in cells.

ADP: Adenosine Diphosphate. The 'spent' ATP, it is minus one phosphate. It returns to the mitochondria to be synthesised into ATP or may be disposed of as waste.

Somatic Cells: All body cells other than germ cells (Sperm, egg).