This is a question that came to me while learning more about how cells reproduce. I always felt that our cells just started to shut down and in turn our organs and other things. As I learned more about cell reproduction I noted that the cells are constantly being replaced and they are checked for problems as well. So why do we end up dying? Unfortunately my question was not answered on ask a scientist but with the help of my colleagues responses and some searching on the internet, I believe that I have found the answer.
Just as when we get sick, there are genetic and environmental factors that effect our health. Our cells can be effected by environmental factors such as radiation or they are simply getting older. When they make a copy of themselves they are bringing these factors over. The radiation or other environmental factors have aged or altered the cell in some way or the cell that was copied is an older version than the cell was when it was first made so the copy is an older copy. Eventually these copies get older and older or more and more effected by the environment that all the copies are effected. So we are not constantly making copies of the original new cell it is always slightly older or environmentally effected eventually leading to the death of the organism.
Yahoo Answers (2011) Yahoo answers: why do we die of old age? Retrieved from http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100311214000AAeutl4
Jordan Coffed (2011) SCIE-6662S-2 Investigating the living world: week 2 discussion board post. Retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=4889695&Survey=1&47=6876975&ClientNodeID=403157&coursenav=1&bhcp=1
Dr. Samson Lyman (2011) SCIE-6662S-2 Investigating the living world: week 2 discussion board post. Retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=4889695&Survey=1&47=6876975&ClientNodeID=403157&coursenav=1&bhcp=1
No comments:
Post a Comment