FACULTY OF BASIC SCIENCES

BIOLOGY PROGRAM

COURSE CONTENT PLANNING

1. COURSE IDENTIFICATION

NAME Fundamentals of Biology

CODE 20217
SEMESTER Yo
NUMBER OF CREDITS 4
PREREQUISITES None
FACE-TO-FACE HOURS OF 4
ACCOMPANIMENT
STRAIGHT
TRAINING AREA : Foundation in natural and exact sciences
: In person
COURSE TYPE : January 22, 2016
UPDATE DATE

2. DESCRIPTION:

Biology is probably the most diverse of all the sciences. It is an experimental science that
aims to study living beings from their origin, diversity, relationships and evolution. This
course aims to provide a comprehensive and adequate overview of the science of life today.
The course content is divided into units taking as a starting point the concept of Biology and
its relationship with other sciences. Knowledge of the main concepts of biology is a
fundamental tool for understanding and successfully addressing the pressing challenges of
our society. More than any other discipline, biology, the science of life, helps us understand
ourselves and our planet.

Advances in biology have allowed professionals to delve into almost all of modern man's
activities. Its importance in the human environment makes this science an essential tool of
knowledge for life and the development of humans as a species. Biological knowledge has
saturated human activities, serving as a basis for medicine, agriculture, conservation of
natural resources of great importance for sociological studies and contributing to the
formulation of a philosophy of life. All this knowledge is based on the scientific method,
that is, that systematic way of searching for the truth based on rationality, logic and
skepticism.
Vo. Bo. Curriculum Committee Yes No
3. JUSTIFICATION
Fundamentals of Biology will contribute to the training of professionals through the
appropriation of knowledge of the structure and function of living beings, their origin,
development and evolution; as well as their relationships and interrelations between
organisms and their environment added to a set of disciplinary activities in the field of
biodiversity and sustainable human development in an ethical and responsible manner that
allows the design of conservation strategies and the use of resources in a sustainable manner
and in this way promoting scientific interest and the search for alternatives for problem
solving.

4. GENERAL PURPOSE OF THE COURSE

Provide the student with learning situations that allow him/her to acquire updated
information in the field of Biology and consolidate the biological knowledge acquired in
previous courses and introduce the student to biology as an integrated and experimental
science, showing him/her that all progress in this discipline is made based on the Scientific
Method. It also seeks to describe the structure and function of living beings, their origin,
development and evolution, as well as the relationships and interrelations between
organisms and their environment.

5. GENERAL COMPETENCE OF THE COURSE

• It promotes scientific interest and the search for alternatives for problem solving in
disciplinary activities in the field of biodiversity and sustainable human
development in an ethical and responsible manner that allows the design of
conservation strategies and the sustainable use of resources.
• Development of academic and research skills in the field of biology through the
clear handling of concepts, procedures, methods and specialized techniques obtained
based on the reading and review of specialized literature.
• Mastery of the set of theoretical knowledge necessary to support a biological
process.
• Adequate handling of procedures, methods and specialized techniques required for
the applicability of biology in your profession.
• Ability for self-learning, responsibility, problem solving and decision making in
biological processes in the professional field.
• Establishes the interrelation between science, technology, society and the
environment in specific historical and social contexts.
• Base opinions on the impacts of science and technology on daily life, taking into
account ethical considerations.
• Identify problems, formulate scientific questions and propose the necessary
hypotheses to answer them.
• Obtain, record and systematize information to answer scientific questions,
consulting relevant sources
Vo. Bo. Curriculum Committee No
Yes

• Assess personal or common preconceptions about various natural phenomena based

on scientific evidence.

METHODOLOGY
The subject will be focused on its theoretical component with presentations using slides,
acetates and a board that reinforce the scientific foundations.

Carrying out complementary and current readings, which will be discussed in class through
seminars and discussion workshops

6. ASSESSMENT
30% will be evaluated for the first partial, 40% for the second partial and 30% for the final
exam. The evaluation must verify the achievements and skills acquired through your study.
There will be three partial exams, quizzes, workshops, seminars and class attendance. The
date of the exams will be carried out by mutual agreement with the students.

Quizzes will be held first thing in the morning and without prior notice. These will not be
repeated to the student.
The workshops and discussion of topics will be carried out in groups.

7. PLANNING TRAINING UNITS

Unit I. Biology, concept, its relationship with other sciences and its study method.
Origin of life (week 1)
Concept of Science, Concept of Biology, Characteristics and properties of living
beings, Main branches of Biology, Auxiliary sciences of Biology, Scientific Method
and its application in Experimental Sciences.
Theories about the origin of the Universe and life. Spontaneous generation. Vitalist
theory. Works by Needham, Spallanzani, Redi and Louis Pasteur. Panspermia
theory. Primitive conditions of the earth. Conditions for primitive chemosynthesis.
Oparin-Haldane theory of chemosynthesis. Miller-Urey experiments, formation of
organic compounds. Formation of coacervates (Oparin), thermal protenoids (Fox),
the naked gene (Haldane).

Unit II. Molecular level: Chemical organization of living matter (week 2 and 3) Atoms:
Properties. Inorganic components: Water and mineral salts. Organic components:
Bioelements. Carbohydrates: Monosaccharides, Disaccharides, Polysaccharides.
Biological importance. Lipids: Reserve lipids
Vo. Bo. Curriculum Committee No
Yes
(neutral) and membrane lipids (polar). Lipids with specific biological activities:
Terpenes, steroids, prostaglandins. Fat-soluble vitamins. Biological importance.
Amino acids and peptides. Protein structure. Holoproteins and Heteroproteins.
Biological importance. Enzymes. Structure and function. Guys. Enzyme cofactors
Water-soluble vitamins. Nucleic acids: Types and structures. Biological importance.
Prions. Virus: Chemical composition and ultrastructure. Recommended reading

Unit III Cellular level (week 4, 5 and 6)

Hypothetical formation of the first cell (Prokaryotic). Evolution towards autotrophic,
photosynthetic and eukaryotic cells. Origin of the Eukaryotic Cell according to
Margulis' Endosymbiotic Theory. Levels of Biological Organization. Recommended
reading.
Cell concept. Cell theory: postulates of the Cell Theory (Matthías Schleiden,
Theodor Schwann, Rudolf Virchow). Prokaryotic organization. Cell structures:
Wall, ribosomes, DNA. Large bacterial groups. Eukaryotic organization. The
plasma membrane: Structure and function, Cellular transport: Diffusion (osmosis
and dialysis), Transport proteins, Ion channels, Vesicle transport. The cell wall:
Structure and function in plants. Cell junctions. Microfilaments and Microtubules:
Centrioles, cilia and flagella, Mitotic apparatus. Types of Organelles: Membranous
and non-membranous. Mitochondria: Morphology, structure and function. Specific
metabolic processes. Plastids: Types. Chloroplasts: Morphology, structure and
function. Specific metabolic processes. Ribosomes: Types. Vacuolar System:
Endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, Lysosomes: Morphology, structure and
function. Specific metabolic processes. Cell nucleus. Nucleoplasm and Condensed
Chromatin (Chromosomes). Recommended reading

Unit IV Level Bioenergetics and cellular metabolism (week 7 and 8).

Activation energy. Enzyme regulation. Kinetics and enzyme inhibition. Cellular
metabolism. Catabolism and anabolism. Aerobic and anaerobic pathway. Cellular
respiration and mitochondria. Glycolysis and types of fermentation. Krebs cycle.
Chemiosmosis. Electron transport chain.
Chloroplast and photosynthesis: concept, general aspects, pigments,
photophosphorylation and the electron transport chain. Light and dark phase. C3, C4
and CAM plants. Chemosynthesis: Concept. Chemosynthetic microorganisms.
Recommended reading

Unit V. Continuity of life: Cell reproduction (week 9)

Cell division in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. The cell cycle. Phases of the cell cycle.
Mitosis. Phases and cytokinesis. Cell division and asexual reproduction.
Reproduction in Eukaryotes and Prokaryotes. Asexual (Bipartition, Budding,
Fragmentation, Sporulation, Vegetative Multiplication). Meiosis and sexual
reproduction (Intervention of gametes). Gametogenesis: Spermatogenesis and
Oogenesis. Parthenogenesis. Recommended reading: Stem cells
Vo. Bo. Curriculum Committee Yes No
Unit VI. Physical and chemical bases of inheritance (week 10 and 11)
Nucleic acids: DNA and RNA. Chromatin: types. Packaging of DNA into
chromosomes. Three-dimensional model of DNA. DNA duplication. Transcription
and translation (protein synthesis) of genetic material. The genetic code. Gene
regulation in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Gene mutations. Recommended
reading. Concept of Genetics and Inheritance. History. Mendelian inheritance.
Mendel's laws. Purebred (concept examples). Genes: dominant, recessive.
Homozygosity, heterozygosity. Non-Mendelian inheritance. Inheritance linked to
sex chromosomes. Chromosomes: structure. Somatic. Sexual. Karyotype (as a
grouping of chromosomes) Kariogram or Idiogram. Chromosomal mutations
Unit VII. Evolution and Diversity of Living Beings (week 12 and 13)
Concept of evolution. Lamarck's theory. Darwin's theory. Evidence supporting
evolution. Genetic and phenotypic variation and variability. Microevolution.
Evolutionary mechanisms (mutation, gene flow, genetic drift and natural selection).
Macroevolution: Species concepts. Phylogeny: Generalities. Systematics.
Hierarchical organization of life. Recommended reading
Unit VIII. Interactions of living beings: Ecology (week 14 and 15)
Concept of Ecology. Branches and importance of Ecology. Population ecology:
generalities. Community ecology; generalities. Ecosystems and Biomes. Ecology
and geography of life. Humans in the environment: Species extinction and
conservation biology. Ecosystem services. Global and climate change.
Recommended reading

8. LITERATURE
8.1. BASIC
• Audersick, A., G. Audersick & B. Byers. 2013. Biology: Life on Earth with
Physiology. 9th Edition. Pearson Publishing. 1000p.
• Reece, J., M. Taylor, E. Simon, J. Dickey. 2009. Campbell Biology: concepts
and connections. 7th Edition. Pearson Publishing. 779p. It's in the library
• Curtis, H., N. Barnes, A. Schnek & G. Flowers. 2011. Invitation to Biology.
6th Edition. Panamericana Medical Publishing House, 6th Edition. 768p.
• Curtis, H., N. S. Barnes, A. Schnek & A. Massarini. 2015. Invitation to
Biology. Panamericana Medical Publishing House, 7th Edition. 800p.
• Freeman, S. 2009. Biology. 3rd Edition. Pearson-Addison Wesley. 1390p. It's
in the library
• Karp, G. 2010. Cellular and Molecular Biology. McGraw Hill. 6th Edition.
842p

Vo. Bo. Curriculum Committee No

Yes
• Lodish, H., A. Berk, C. TO. Kaiser, M. Krieger, A. Bretscher, H. Ploegh, A.
 Amon, M. P. Scott. 2015. Cellular and Molecular Biology. Panamericana
Medical Publishing House, 7th Edition. 1186p. It's in the library
• Sadava, D., G. Heller, G. Orians, W. Purves & D. Hillis. 2009. Life. The
Science of Biology. Panamericana Medical Publishing House, 8th Edition.
1376p.
• Solomon, E., L. Berg & DW Martin. 2014. Biology. Cengage Learning
Publishing, 9th Edition. 1408p. It's in the library

Vo. Bo. Curriculum Committee Yes No