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a) The antagonistic action of hormones is essential to many processes in plants

ID: 71807 • Letter: A

Question

a) The antagonistic action of hormones is essential to many processes in plants and animals. Discuss how the processes of cell division are controlled by antagonistic hormones in plants (i.e., auxin and cytokinins). For animals, discuss how the antagonistic action of hormones is responsible for maintaining blood glucose levels.

b) Plants and animals both must acquire nutrients from their environment. Where and how do plants and animals obtain their required nutrients? Your answer should include a brief description of the system(s) involved in both the acquisition of nutrients and the transport of nutrients throughout the organism.

c) How do plants and animals convert the carbon they obtain into the cellular energy of ATP? Your answer should include how photosynthesis and cellular respiration are involved in this process.

d) Both plants and animals reproduce sexually. Identify and discuss 2 similarities and 2 differences in the sexual life styles of plants and animals. - focus on the processes of gametogenesis, fertilization, and development.

Please help. Im really struggling with these concepts =(

Explanation / Answer

A)

The hormones, which act against functions of each other, are called antagonistic hormones. In plants the cell division is controlled by the two main hormones, auxin and cytokinins. The auxins, like indole acetic acid (IAA) and cytokinins both promote the cell division, but the variation in the concentration results changes in cell division.

For example, if auxin levels are more than cytokinins the cell parenchymal cells become expand, but cannot divided. If both of them are present in equal concentration, then cell division and cell expansion takes place and results formation of an undifferentiated tissue called callus. The auxins promote the growth of roots, whereas cytokinins promote the growth of shoots.

The antagonistic hormones responsible for blood glucose regulation are Insulin and Glucagon. Insulin is a metabolic hormone released from the beta cells of pancreas. The “Islets of Pancreas” contain four types of cells namely “alpha, beta, delta and F cells.” Alpha cells secrete glucagon and beta cells secrete insulin. Insulin converts glucose into glycogen (lowers blood glucose levels), and glucagon converts glycogen into glucose molecules (raises blood glucose levels), thus helps to regulate the circulating glucose levels.

B)

The plants obtain nutrients from the soil, whereas animals obtain them by ingestion. The roots of plants absorb minerals from soil and water to maintain proper metabolism. The plants are usually autotrophs, therefore they can synthesize other material, like carbohydrate by a process called photosynthesis. The animals cannot synthesize their own food material, hence they depend on either plants or other animals for food source.

C)

Plants conduct a mechanism called photosynthesis. Plants utilize carbon atom especially in the form of carbon dioxide, plants take in Co2 through stomata, which is essential for photosynthesis and though which they produce sugar molecules and other complex materials for use the plant growth and metabolism.

Plants are the major source of food for humans and many other organisms. They are the dominant terrestrial organisms and about 300,000 species are now in existence.

Animals eat plants of other animals and digest them into simple molecules called sugars and fatty acids. Now they enter into glycolysis of beta-oxidation and oxidized into carbon-dioxide and produce ATP. This process is called catabolism.