Biology

B1.1 Cell structures

• Electron microscopy and sub-cellular detail
• Light microscopy and staining
• Sub-cellular structures of eukaryotes and prokaryotes

B1.2 What happens in cells

• DNA as a polymer
• Double helix structure of DNA
• Enzyme action and factors affecting rate
• Investigating enzyme activity (practical)
• Nucleotides and complementary bases
• Protein synthesis (transcription and translation)
• Triplet code and protein structure

B1.3 Respiration

• Aerobic and anaerobic respiration compared
• Amino acids in protein synthesis and breakdown
• Cellular respiration as universal process
• Fatty acids and glycerol in lipid synthesis
• Respiration as exothermic reaction
• Sugars in carbohydrate synthesis and breakdown

B1.4 Photosynthesis

• Effect of factors on rate of photosynthesis
• Investigating photosynthesis (practical)
• Limiting factors interaction in photosynthesis
• Photosynthesis as endothermic reaction
• Photosynthetic organisms as producers
• Process of photosynthesis

B2.1 Supplying the cell

• Cell differentiation
• Diffusion, osmosis and active transport
• Embryonic vs adult stem cells
• Functions of stem cells
• Mitosis and the cell cycle
• Stem cells in animals and plants (location)

B2.2 Challenges of size

• Environmental factors on water uptake
• Human circulatory system (double circulation)
• Potometer practical
• Red blood cells and plasma adaptation
• Substances transported in organisms
• Surface area to volume ratio
• The heart and blood vessels
• Transpiration and translocation
• Water and mineral uptake by plants
• Xylem and phloem structure

B3.1 Nervous system

• Coordinated response by nervous system
• Defects of the eye
• Investigating brain function
• Reflex arc
• Structure and function of the brain
• Structure of the eye
• Structure of the nervous system
• Treating nervous system damage

B3.2 Endocrine system

• Commercial uses of plant hormones
• Effects of plant hormones (gibberellins, ethene)
• FSH/LH/oestrogen/progesterone interactions
• Hormonal coordination principles
• Hormones in contraception
• Hormones in fertility treatment
• Hormones in human reproduction
• Plant hormones (auxin, tropisms)
• Thyroxine and adrenaline

B3.3 Maintaining internal environments

• ADH and kidney tubule permeability
• Body responses to temperature/osmotic challenges
• Glucagon and blood sugar regulation
• Importance of homeostasis
• Insulin and blood sugar control
• Kidney structure and nephron
• Kidneys and water balance
• Osmotic effects on cells
• Skin and body temperature control
• Type 1 and type 2 diabetes

B4.1 Ecosystems

• Abiotic and biotic factors on communities
• Carbon cycle and water cycle
• Decomposition factors (composting)
• Efficiency of biomass transfer
• Interdependence and competition
• Levels of organisation in ecosystems
• Material cycles in ecosystems
• Microorganisms in cycling materials
• Pyramids of biomass
• Trophic levels and food chains

B5.1 Inheritance

• Asexual vs sexual reproduction
• Coding vs non-coding DNA effects
• Genetics terminology
• Genome and environment effect on phenotype
• Haploid and diploid
• History of genetics (Mendel)
• Meiosis
• Polygenic inheritance
• Punnett squares
• Sex determination in humans
• Single gene inheritance
• The genome
• Variants arising from mutations

B5.2 Natural selection and evolution

• Classification systems
• Darwin and Wallace
• Evidence for evolution
• Evolution and speciation
• Evolution by natural selection
• Genetic variation in populations

B6.1 Monitoring environment

• Environmental change and distribution
• Field investigation of organisms
• Human interactions with ecosystems
• Maintaining biodiversity

B6.2 Feeding the human race

• Agricultural solutions
• Benefits and risks of gene technology in agriculture
• Biotechnological solutions to food demand
• Food security factors
• Genetic engineering
• Selective breeding
• Steps in genetic engineering

B6.3 Monitoring health

• Aseptic techniques and drug development
• Cancer and stem cells in medicine
• Communicable diseases (spread, prevention, examples)
• Gene technology in medicine and human genome
• Health and disease relationship
• Immune system and monoclonal antibodies
• Non-communicable diseases and cardiovascular treatments
• Plant defences (physical and chemical)
• Vaccines, antibiotics, antivirals, antiseptics
• White blood cells, platelets and non-specific defence

PAG 1

• PAG B1 Microscopy

PAG 2

• PAG B2 Testing for biological molecules

PAG 3

• PAG B3 Sampling techniques

PAG 4

• PAG B4 Rates of enzyme-controlled reactions

PAG 5

• PAG B5 Photosynthesis

PAG 6

• PAG B6 Physiology, responses, respiration

PAG 7

• PAG B7 Microbiological techniques

PAG 8

• PAG B8 Transport in and out of cells