Biological process

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article does not cite any references or sources. (January 2008) Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

A biological process is a process of a living organism. Biological processes are made up of any number of chemical reactions or other events that results in a transformation.

Regulation of biological processes occurs where any process is modulated in its frequency, rate or extent. Biological processes are regulated by many means; examples include the control of gene expression, protein modification or interaction with a protein or substrate molecule.

Biological processes are often regulated by genetics. Mutation may lead to interruptions to a biological process.

Viruses have a set of biological processes by which they reproduce.

Biological processes include:

• Cell adhesion, The attachment of a cell, either to another cell or to an underlying substrate such as the extracellular matrix, via cell adhesion molecules.
• Cell signaling or attachment between one cell and another cell, between a cell and an extracellular matrix, or between a cell and any other aspect of its environment.
• Morphogenesis, cell growth and cellular differentiation
• Cell physiological process, the processes pertinent to the integrated function of a cell.
• Cell recognition, the process by which a cell in a multicellular organism interprets its surroundings.
• Physyological process, those processes specifically pertinent to the functioning of integrated living units: cells, tissues, organs, and organisms.
• Pigmentation
• Reproduction
• Response to stimulus, a change in state or activity of a cell or an organism (in terms of movement, secretion, enzyme production, gene expression, etc.) as a result of a stimulus.
• Interaction between organisms. the processes by which an organism has an observable effect on another organism of the same or different species.
• Also: fermentation, fertilisation, germination, tropism, hybridisation, metamorphosis, photosynthesis, transpiration.

See also

• Microbiological process
• Human biological process
• Chemical process
• Organic reaction
• Chemical transformation