Distance Education Class in Human Biology: A Student's Guide

Distance Education Class in Human Biology: A Student's Guide
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Biology is the science that studies life. Human biology focuses solely on human beings. Taking a human biology distance education class helps us better understand human beings and the science behind their birth, life, and death. Distance learning human biology classes can often be applied to a degree or simply taken alone to help enhance a person’s knowledge on this subject.

Classes About Cells

There are several human biology classes that will teach you about cells, their structure, and their function. A cell structure and function class often discusses the discovery of cells, cell theory, cell boundaries, lipid bilayer, other cell membrane components, the cell wall, passive transport, diffusion, facilitated diffusion, osmosis, osmotic pressure, active transport, inside the cell, the nucleus, prokaryotes and eukaryotes, role of the nucleus, structures in the nucleus, cytoplasm, organelles, ribosomes, lysosomes, vacuoles, mitochondria and chloroplasts, and endoplasmic, reticulum and golgi apparatus.

A class on membrane structure and function will often discuss membrane functions, composition, fluid mosaic model, membrane transport, permeability of the lipid bilayer, integral membrane proteins, active transport, osmotic pressure, lipids and membranes, selective barrier, contain transport systems, contain enzyme systems, contain specific recognition sites, what biological membranes are composed of, lipids, proteins, integral membrane proteins, peripheral membrane proteins, energetics of diffusion, water movement, osmotic pressure.

A class on cellular respiration will often discuss glycolysis, the citric acid cycle, electron transport, and maximum ATP yields.

A class on the cell cycle and cellular reproduction will often discuss eukaryotic chromosomes, the mitotic spindle, mitosis in animal cells, mitosis in cells, cytokinesis, the cell cycle clock, the cell cycle and cancer, apoptosis, characteristics of cancer cells, prokaryotic cell division, and binary fission.

Classes About DNA and Genes

A class on Mendelian patterns and inheritance will often discuss Mendelian patterns and other patterns of inheritance.

A class on DNA structure and function will often discuss the structure of nucleic acids, structure of double-stranded DNA, biological significance of double standardness, sequence dependent variation in shape of DNA, physical properties of double-stranded DNA, chemicals that react with DNA, DNA sequencing strategies, enzymes that modify DNA structure, DNA bending, DNA supercoiling, cruciform structures in DNA, left-handed Z-DNA, triplex DNA, miscellaneous alternative conformations of DNA, DNA protein interactions, and organization of DNA into chromosomes.

A class on gene activities will often discuss the various activities of genes in life and disease. A class on gene mutations and the regulation of gene activity may be separate or included in this class.

A class on biotechnology and genomics will often discuss life sciences, biotechnology in practice, functional genomics, molecular aspects of cell biology, biomolecular structure and bioinformatics, plant molecular biology and biotechnology, frontiers of cell biology, bio-organic chemistry, molecular technology, genomes and evolution, molecular genetics, developmental and cellular genetics, human genetics, microbial cells and genomes, microbial biotechnology, principles of immunology, genetic/molecular basis of disease, biotechnology in modern science, and protein structure, design, and engineering.

Classes About the Classification of Living Things

A class about the classification of living things will often discuss taxonomy, early classification systems, binomial nomenclature, what is a scientific name, and the seven classification groups.

Classes on bacteria, viruses, archaea, fungi, and protists can also be taken.

Classes on Evolution

Several different classes focus on the evolution of human life and its history. These classes include darwin and evolution, the origin and history of life, and the process of evolution.

Other Possible Classes

There are other human biology distance education class that are available. These include photosynthesis, the evolution and diversity of plants, deuterostomes, introduction to invertebrates, protostomes, ecology of populations, the biosphere, and community ecology.