Paramecium+-+AM

= = toc =Introduction=

Think of a scull, (a rowboat with many oars) no even better, think of a scull with cannons! This is a paramecium, well pretty, close. to be exact, A paramecium(about 0.07 inches long) is a oval or shoe shaped, single celled organism with hairs called cilia that act like oars to propel the cell along in the water. Paramecia function much like a human, by which they have an ultimate goal to survive and prosper. Paramecium has interesting organelles that many other cells do not possess. Also,Many predator/ prey relationships exist between paramecium and other creatures, most famously, the didinium.

=Function=

Well, since paramecium is a single celled organism its function, like humans is to survive, but paramecia (plural of paramecium) do this in different ways than we do. One example of this are its adaptations to life, which include cilia, small hairs that move the cell around the freshwater lake, pond, or puddle it inhabits, yes paramecia prefer stagnant water habitats(grolier, what is paramecium). Observing paramecium, they resemble Racing sculls (a rowed boat used in the olympics) and the cilia are the rowers providing propulsion to the cell. Paramecium are very important processes such as the carbon cycle (the decomposition process) and plays a big part in cleaning fresh water by eating many particles, bacteria, and amoebas that if ingested, can cause harmful diseases, like campylobacteriosis, which can cause symptoms such as cramping abdominal pain, fever, and nausea/vomiting.Like most other animals, paramecia also have the goal of creating offspring, but, again paramecium can do this in a different way than most animals can, asexually. This means that the cell separates by binary fission, where the cell divides in half like in the illustration on the below. While the micronucleus divides through the normal mitosis, the macronucleus divides through amitosis, more direct without the appearance of chromosomes since the macronucleus doesn’t possess any (lifestyle and adaptations). Parameciums diet consists of green algae, amoebas, Bacteria, and other single celled particles.

=Structure= Since Paramecium is a single celled organism, it has many structures and organelles that aren’t found in cells such as any in the human body. In paramecium, there are many organelles, like the contractile vacuole., which collects excess water from the cell and ejects it through a pore in the pellicle, which is the stiff outer covering, similar to the cell membrane but with a determined shape. In the cytoplasm, there is another unique piece called the macronucleus and the micronucleus, yes paramecium has two nuclei, or more depending on the species! The cell moves by small structures called cilia, these act like rowers, moving back and forth to move the cell along. To eat, paramecia have an area on the outside of the cell called the oral groove, cilia line the oral groove and draw in food particles, which then go to the gullet, and the food gets put into a forming food vacuoles, which then break off the gullet, and circle around the inside of the pellicle for a couple hours until it has been digested. A structure called trichocysts are just underneath the pellicle, and when activated, eject fine thread, which is probably a squid like reaction, in parameciums case the thread being the ink, in fact, paramecium tetraurelia thread was effective in deterring predators such as cephalodella and eucypris.

Diagram of paramecium Diagram showing trichocysts



=Real World Connection=

Did you know that paramecia are in many water treatment plants, and a used to clean water? They do this by eating the bacteria found in the water, and prevent us from getting illnesses such as //cryptococcus neoformans//, a type of disease caused by special fungi, the disease affects the immune system, this illness is prevented by the natural actions of paramecia and amoebas. Paramecium can also help humans by aiding in the carbon cycle, or the process of decomposition, paramecium do this by consuming decomposing material, such as plant cells and dead animal cells. Paramecia diet consists of Bacteria, amoebas, and other food particles, but while paramecium is a predator, it is also prey to a host of other unicellular organisms. The most famous predator of paramecium is didinium, another organism with cilia, has trichocysts that fire poisonous threads into paramecium slowing it down so it can be swallowed, after that, didinium will need to feed again in a few hours.

=Conclusion=

Paramecia act a lot like humans, trying to survive, but on a much simpler level, with no governments or territory, just eat or be eaten. Paramecium have many structures that make it not that far away from being a natural row boat Paramecium is the one natural thing that keeps our water clean, without it, bacteria carrying sickness and disease would get inside of us and wreck havoc.

=References=

Works Cited Crocker, Denton W. “Paramecium.” Encyclopedia Americana. Scholastic Grolier Online, ea.grolier.com/article?id=0302480-00. Accessed 2 Feb. 2017. Jenner, Jan, et al. From Bacteria to Plants. Needham, Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005. LiveScience. Purch, www.livescience.com/55178-paramecium.html. Accessed 3 Feb. 2017. Paramecium can have both positive and negative effects on humans. Paramecia have potential to spread harmful diseases in the human body by imbalance, but they can also serve a benefit to humans by destroying Cryptococcus neoformans, a type of disease caused by special fungi (from the genus Cryptococcus) that can spread in the human body and affect the immune system. Studies have shown that these benefits only occur with the combined interactions of amoebas and certain Paramecium species to create this effect. The disease is more common in people with AIDs and HIV; symptoms include inflammation of the brain, fevers, headaches, shortness of breath and altered mental status. The relations between these active organisms are called protist- fungal interactions, protists having control over fungi. “Protozoa.” BrainPOP, www.brainpop.com/science/diversityoflife/protozoa/. Weebly.com. lifeofparamecium.weebly.com/lifestyle--adaptations.html.