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To further explore cells and their functions, I visited Ask A Scientist Website- Howard Hughes Medical Institute. http://www.hhmi.org/askascientist/

I read Can’t Count in A Really Short History of Nearly Everything by Brian Bryson. This short expository sparked curiosity for me about the bdelloid rotifers. According to Bryson (2008) bdelloid rotifers can switch of their metabolism during harsh living conditions. I began to reflect on the five characteristics of living organisms: metabolic processes, generative processes, responsive processes, control processes, and structural organization (Tillery, Enger, & Ross, 2008). Bdelloid rotifers do demonstrate all five characteristics when they are living in a favorable environment. However, they have the ability to shut down their metabolism. That led me to the question how can bdelloid rotifers still be considered living if they can shut down their metabolism for a period of time during harsh conditions? I submitted this question to the Ask A Scientist website. I have not received a response yet, but I did a little research to try and answer my question.

Bdelloid Rotifers are microscopic organisms known as metazoans. They live in freshwater ponds, lakes, brackish water, and even sewage (DCEB, 2013). At times, these habitats can dry out. The organism undergoes a process called anhydrobiosis, which many plants undergo, which protects from dehydration stress (Tunnacliffe, 2003). Some scientists called this type of organism the resurrection plant. Research identified LEA proteins, which likely prevents the bdelloid rotifer from drying out (DCEB, 2013). Is this the mechanism to shut down their metabolism? There is scientific interest in this organism for vaccines that could lose their potency if not kept cool (DCEB, 2013). Understanding the process bdelloid rotifer undergoes could help scientists to dry out medicine could be an enormous benefit (Tunnacliffe, 2003).

References 

Bryson, B. (2008). A really short history of nearly everything. New York, NY: Delacorte Press. 

DCEB (2013). Bdelloid Rotifers: Cell and Organism Engineering. Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology. Retrieved on January 21, 2013 from http://www.ceb.cam.ac.uk/pages/bdelloid-rotifers.html 

Tillery, B. W., Enger, E. D., & Ross, F. C. (2008). Integrated science (4th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. 

Tunnacliffe, A. (2003) . Animal Magic: Cell and Organism Engineering. Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology. Retrieved on January 21, 2013 from http://www.ceb.cam.ac.uk/pages/bdelloid-rotifers.html