What is common in the structure of all living organisms? General properties of living organisms

The diversity of the surrounding world is simply amazing with its splendor. What kind of creatures you will not meet! After all, some insects have about a million different species, not to mention animals and representatives of other taxonomic units of nature. However, scientists have created a theory that speaks of the unity of the origin of all biomass on the planet. This means that the ancestor was alone. Proofs of this are the similarities between beings. What is common in the structure of all living organisms? Why is this theory universally accepted? Let's try to understand.

What is common in the structure of all living organisms?

The answer to this question is really simple. This is said to students from the fifth grade of education in the lessons of biology and natural history. The general properties of living organisms repel from the structure, which is based on a single structure - the cell. No wonder it is called the brick of life.

The cells consist of the bodies of plants, fungi, animals, lichens and man. The smallest creatures on the planet are bacteria, but they are also cells. But we note that the structure of cells of living organisms is not the same. And this is natural. After many millennia there was an evolution, which led to the emergence and consolidation of differences. As a result, we have that world, that biomass of the planet that is now.

What is common in the structure of all living organisms? The answer is completely unambiguous. The presence of a cell, whether it is unique, or their millions. If we look even deeper, then we can point to the generality of the biochemical composition of this structure. It is known that protein molecules are the basis of life.

According to Oparin-Haldane theory, life originated from a coacervate droplet, a protein molecule. It eventually transformed into a cell, and then all other levels of organization of life followed . Therefore, the question: "What is common in the structure of all living organisms?" Can be answered in several words:

• Cell at the base of the structure;
• Protein at the base of the cell;
• Nucleic acids in the basis of the hereditary apparatus.

These are the very similarities on which the theory of the unity of the origin of life on the Earth is built.

The main signs of a living

The main properties of living organisms, clearly allowing them to distinguish them from inanimate objects and bodies, are as follows:

• Reproduction, that is, leaving behind the progeny to maintain and preserve numbers;
• Irritability - the ability to respond to external influences of any kind (physical, chemical, mechanical);
• Metabolism (as well as energy), which includes nutrition and excretion;
• breath;
• Growth and development.

The totality of these signs allows you to judge whether the organism is alive or not. And the analysis of its morphological, genetic and physiological features, anatomical structure, allows to be attributed to this or that kingdom of living nature.

They, in turn, are known for five today.

1. Animals.
2. Plants.
3. Mushrooms.
4. Bacteria.
5. Viruses.

The latter refer to non-cellular forms of life, their systematic position in the general system of nature is rather ambiguous.

Levels of life organization of living systems

Above, the hierarchy in the construction of life was already indicated. Let us consider it in more detail. Each living entity becomes part of the planet, another element of the biomass. But how does it all begin, what stages does it take? This issue has been studied by scientists for a long time. It is customary to single out several levels of organization of life.

1. Molecular.
2. Cellular.
3. Tissue.
4. Organic.
5. Organism.
6. Population-species.
7. Biogeocenotic.
8. Biosphere.

Within each level there are specific features, processes that speak of the existence of life. Let us consider them in more detail.

Molecular and cellular

These levels are the very first, fundamental. So, on the molecular there are numerous chemical reactions between various organic and inorganic compounds. As a result, the structures of the future cell are formed. From here the gradual ascent starts one step higher - the cellular level. He is one of the most important and speaks of the unity of all life on the planet.

What are the most important molecules in the cell? Without which of them is it impossible to exist? These are such as:

• Carbohydrates;
• Proteins;
• Enzymes;
• Hormones;
• Vitamins;
• Amino acids;
• nucleic acids;
• Some inorganic complex compounds;
• water;
• lipids;
• Micro- and macro elements.

Of course, the significance of each of them is different. However, in the long absence of any organism undergoes irreversible changes, and ultimately - the completion of the life cycle.

Fabric and Organic

The next level behind the cellular is tissue. After all, in itself, any tissue is a collection of cells that are united by a common origin, anatomical features and an executable role.

In turn, the tissues form various organs. If we are talking about plants, then this is the root system and all the escape structures. If the animals, then you can list the organs for a long time, because there are a lot of them. For example, the heart, kidneys, lungs, intestines, skin and others.

At these levels, the general properties of living organisms belonging to multicellular organisms are manifested.

Levels for multicellular

The next highest level is the organism level. It implies that in the body of multicellular creatures, the organs are united in systems which, by joint and harmonious work, ensure the normal functioning of the whole organism.

However, all elements of biomass are different. The population-specific step is the result of innovations in the organization of different kinds of creatures. These changes are due to the influence of environmental conditions. That is, in fact - this is the level at which evolutionary changes occur as a result of fitness.

Biosphere

The basic properties of living organisms, which we listed above, underlie such a global concept as the biosphere. This is the highest, encompassing level of organization of nature. All participants in the biosphere are only living beings. It is from them that biomass forms. Also an important part is what creatures produce. This is the biocosmic substance of the biosphere.

It is possible to distinguish several more types of substances that make up this level. It:

• Living;
• Biogenic;
• Stagnant;
• Biocosic;
• Cosmic origin;
• Radioactive decay;
• Simple atoms.

The founder of the theory of the biosphere was VI Vernadsky. His merit in developing this concept is simply enormous.

Prokaryotic organisms

A special place among the taxa of nature is occupied by bacteria. The thing is that their cell is arranged a little differently than all the others. The position of microorganisms in the system of the living world is denoted by one word - prokaryotes. This term means beings whose cells are devoid of a decorated nuclear envelope. This means that the nucleic acids are located inside the entire cavity.

For bacteria, the levels of organization of nature are somewhat different. They can be listed in this order:

• molecular;
• cellular;
• Species;
• Biospheric.

All other steps are inaccessible to them. But microscopic and simple structure did not prevent microorganisms from becoming the most widespread and numerous representatives of our planet. This number of representatives does not have more than one kingdom of wildlife.