Budding: definition and examples

Image: biology

Living beings perform three vital functions in our life: relationship, nutrition and reproduction. The ways in which these are carried out can vary between living beings, there is no single way of being carried out, such as the great differentiation of nutrition between plants and animals. An example of this is the reproduction, which can be of different types, such as asexual reproduction. To know one of the types of asexual reproduction, in this lesson from a PROFESSOR we are going to offer you a definition and examples of gemmation.

Index

1. What is asexual reproduction?
2. What is budding? Simple definition
3. Budding examples

Asexual reproduction is a form of reproduction of living beings that is based on the fact that, through the cells of a living being, another identical one is formed, thanks to mitosis. This process only needs the intervention of a parent, without the need for any type of gamete or sex cells.

Asexual reproduction can be very different depending on the type of living being that performs it, since there are many types of living beings that can reproduce in this way. Some living beings that perform this form of reproduction and some of their types are the following:

• Animals: Asexual reproduction is characteristic of some invertebrate animals, mainly animals with little mobility. Some types of asexual animal reproduction are the following: budding, fragmentation, bipartition, sporulation, polyembryony, parthenogenesis.
• Plants: Plants have many types of asexual reproduction, and it occurs when one of its parts divides and develops separately. Some examples of asexual reproduction of plants are the following: mitospores, propagules, apomixis, artificial vegetative multiplication (grafting, layering, etc.).
• Microorganisms: Asexual reproduction is characteristic of microorganisms, some types being the following: binary division, sporulation. binary fission, multiple fission, budding.

Image: Comparative Charts

Budding is a type of asexual reproduction carried out by some living beings, and which consists of the separation from the organism of a small part of him, which evolves to form a new living being, being able to be an exact copy of him or not. For budding to occur, the organism that functions as the parent must be fully developed since, if this is not the case, it will not be able to divide its cells effectively enough to create a new being.

In budding, some species of buds on the parent, which grow until they become new living beings. These beings that arise from the buds can separate from the parent, or remain united to them, forming the so-called colonies.

Budding after all is nothing more than a cell divisionTherefore, it must be taken into account that both the parent and the new being share the same genetic code, because the new specimen is born directly from the parent's cells.

In unicellular beings, budding is different than in multicellular beings, since in these, when there is only one cell, the nucleus of this one must divide, passing one of the nuclei divided to the yolk thanks to which the new one begins to be created to be.

Image: SlideServe

To continue with this lesson on the definition and examples of budding we must talk about some examples of living things that reproduce in this way, to observe how different budding can be between some beings and others. Some examples of budding are as follows:

Poriferous

The poriferous or sponges They are a great example of animals whose reproduction is asexual, since thanks to their body they have great facility for the creation of new organisms. Sponges produce a large number of buds, some even with food inside, which develop until they separate from the parent, forming new sponges. An interesting fact is that some freshwater sponges are capable of creating a protection for the bud, which disappears in spring.

Bryozoans

Bryozoans are an example of those animals that, thanks to asexual reproduction, form a colony. Like sponges, bryozoans are capable of creating a kind of defense for their buds, although theirs is a kind of calcium layer, which protects them from problems.

Bacteria

Some bacteria also reproduce asexually by budding. Some of these bacteria are important to humans, being important part of fermentation of some products that we consume, such as milk. Some examples of these bacteria are the following:

• Planctomycetes
• Cyanobacteria
• Firmicutes

Image: Amaya

If you want to read more articles similar to Budding: definition and examples, we recommend that you enter our category of biology.