Glossary of Key Words Flashcards
Adult stem cell
A cell able to differentiate, originating from an adult cell
Aerobic respiration
Respiration using oxygen; releases energy and produces carbon dioxide and water
Allele
An alternative form of a particular gene
Anaerobic respiration
The process of releasing energy from glucose in living cells in the absence of oxygen to produce a small amount of energy very quickly
Antagonistic pair
A pair of muscles that work together to create movement: when one contract, the other relaxes
Antibiotic
A type of antimicrobial that kills bacteria and fungi but not viruses
Antibody
Produced by white blood cells to inactivate disease-causing microorganisms
Antigen
A marker on the surface of a disease-causing microorganisms
Anitmicrobial
A chemical that kills bacteria, fungi and viruses
Artery
A muscular blood vessel that carries blood away from the heart
Asexual reproduction
New offspring are reproduced that are identical to the parent
Atrium
One of the upper chambers of the heart, which receives blood coming back to the heart
Autotroph
An organism that makes its own food
Axon
The thread-like extension of a nerve cell
Bacteria
Single-celled microorganisms with no nucleus
Biodegradable
A material that decomposes naturally
Biodiversity
The range of species in an environment
Biomedical engineering
Using artificial devices to replace natural parts of an organism
Body Mass Index (BMI)
A measure of fitness
Bone
rigid connective tissue that makes up the human skeleton
Capillary
A blood vessel that connects arteries to veins; where the exchange of materials takes place
Carnivore
An organism that eats other animals; a secondary or tertiary consumer
Central nervous system
The brain and spinal cord; allows an organism to react to its surroundings and coordinates its responses
Cerebral cortex
The part of the human brain most concerned with intelligence, memory, language and consciousness
Chlorophyll
The green pigment found in most plants; responsible for photosynthesis
Chromosome
A long molecule found in the nucleus of all cells containing DNA
Clinical trial
The process of testing a medical treatment or medicine on human volunteers for safety and effectiveness
Clone
An organism genetically identical to the parent
Closed loop system
An ecosystem where waste from one part is used by another
Combustion
Burning in oxygen/air
Common ancestor
The most recent individual from which all organisms in a group are directly descended
Conditioned reflex
A reflex action brought about by a learned stimulus
Cystic fibrosis
A recessive hereditary disorder that mainly affects the lungs and digestive system
Decomposer
An organism that breaks down dead materials and waste products
Deoxygenated
A substance low in oxygen
Desertification
Turning land to desert conditions
Diabetes
A medical condition where blood sugar levels are too high
Diagnosis
The decision reached regarding the identification of a condition
Diffusion
The net movement of particles from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration
Dislocation
The displacement of a part, especially the displacement of a bone at the joint
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)
Molecules that code for genetic information and make up chromosomes
Double circulation system
Blood returns to the heart twice on each circuit of the body
Ecosytem
A term that refers to a physical environment, including the conditions there and the organisms that live there
Effector
The part of the body, e.g. a muscle or a gland, which produces a response to a stimulus
Embryo
A ball of cells that will develop into a human/animal baby
Embryonic stem cell
A cell able to differentiate, originating from an embryo cell
Energy
The ability to do work; measured in joules (J).
Environmental variation
variation that occurs as a result of a certain factor in the surroundings
Enzyme
A protein that speeds up the rate of reaction in living organisms (a catalyst in living things)
Epidemiological study
A study of the factors affecting the health and illness of populations
Evolution
The gradual process of adaptation of a species over generations
Excretion
The removal of waste products of cell reactions
Extinction
The process by which groups of organisms die out
Fermenter
A controlled environment that maintains ideal conditions for microorganims to carry out fermentation
Fertilisation
the fusion of the male gamete to the female gamete
Fetus
An unborn human/animal baby
Food chain
A simple chain showing the feeding relationship between organisms in an ecosystem
Food web
Interlinked food chains in an ecosystem
Fossil
Animal/plant remains preserved in rock
Fungi
A group of organisms including mushrooms, toadstools and yeasts
Gamete
A specialised sex cell formed by meiosis
Gene
A small section of DNA of a chromosome that determines a particular characteristic
Genetic modification
The change in the genetic make-up of an organism
Greenhouse effect
Climate change/global warming due to pollution
Herbivore
An organism that only eats plants, grass, etc; a primary consumer
Heterotroph
An organism that is unable to make its own food; consumes other organisms
Homeostatis
The maintenance of a constant internal environment
Hormone
A regulatory substance that stimulates cells or tissues into action
Huntington’s disease
A hereditary, degenerative disorder of the central nervous system
Immune system
The body’s defence system against infections and diseases (consists of white blood cells and antibodies)
Indicator organism
An organism that is only found in certain conditions
Insulin
A hormone that causes sugar to be taken from blood
Kingdom
A classification of a group of organisms with a small number of features in common
Ligament
The tissue that connects a bone to a joint
Meiosis
The cell division that forms daughter cells with half the number of chromosomes as the parent cell
Memory
The ability to store and retrieve information
Meristem
An area where unspecialised cells divide, producing plant growth
Mitosis
The cell division that forms two daughter cells, each with the same number of chromosomes as the parent cell
Muscle
Tissue that can contract and relax to produce movement
Mutation
A spontaneous change in the genetic code of a cell
Nanotechnology
The science of working with structures that are extremely small
Natural immunity
To remain resistant to or be unaffected by a specific disease
Natural selection
A natural process resulting in the evolution of organisms best adapted to the environment
Neuron
A specialised cell that transmits electrical messages or nerve impulses when stimulated
Nucleus
The control centre of a cell, containing DNA.
Organ
A collection of tissues to carry out a function
Organelles
The different parts of a cell’s structure
Osmosis
The movement of water from a dilute to a more concentrated solution across a partially permeable membrane
Oxygenated
A substance rich in oxygen
Oxyhaemoglobin
Haemoglobin with oxygen bound on
Photosynthesis
The chemical process that takes place in green plants where water combines with carbon dioxide to produce glucose using light
Phototropism
A plant’s response to light
Pollution
Harmful additions to the environment
Polymer
A large molecule made up from many similar units (monomers)
Protein
Large organic compounds made of amino acids
Quadrat
A defined area used to sample a location
Receptor
The part of the nervous system that detects a stimulus
Reflex action
A fast, automatic response
Selective breeding
The production of new varieties of animals and plants by artificial selection
Side effect
A condition caused by taking medication, e.g. headache, nausea
Species
Similar organisms capable of interbreeding to produce fertile offspring
Sprain
A stretch or tear in a ligament
Stem cell
A cell of human embryo or adult bone marrow that has the ability to differentiate
Stimulus
A change in an organism’s environment
Sustainable
Capable of being continued with minimal long-term effect on the environment
Symptom
A visible or noticeable effect of a disease, illness or injury
Synapse
A small gap between adjacent neurons
Tendon
Tissue that connects a muscle to a bone
Theory of evolution
The most likely scientific explanation, based on evidence, as to why organisms are the way they are
Tissue
A collection of similar cells to carry out a function
Transect
A fixed path across an area of study
Valce
A device that ensures the flow of a liquid (e.g. blood) in the right direction
Variation
Differences between individuals of the same species
Vector
An organism (often a microorganism) used to transfer a gene, or genes, from one organism to another
Vein
A blood vessel that carries blood towards the heart
Ventricle
One of the lower chambers of the heart, which pumps blood out of the heart
Vertebrate
An organism with an internal skeleton
Virus
A tiny microorganism with a very simple structure that is reliant on using a cell’s machinery to reproduce
White blood cell
A type of cell in blood that fights infection
Zygote
A cell formed by the fusion of the nuclei of a male sex cell and a female sex cell (gametes)
Active site (HT)
The place where the molecule fits into the enzyme
Active transport (HT)
THe movement of substance against a concentration gradient
ADH/Anti-diuretic hormone (HT)
A hormone that controls the concentration of urine
Auxin (HT)
A plant hormone that affects the growth and development of a plant
Bioaccumulation (HT)
The build-up of toxic materials inside living cells
Denatured enzyme (HT)
An enzyme that has had its shape destroyed and can no longer catalyse reactions
Denitrification (HT)
Taking nitrogen from materials
Detritivore (HT)
An animal that feeds on dead materials
Eutrophication (HT)
The process that leads to stagnation of fresh water
Genotype (HT)
The genetic make-up of an organism
Heterozygous (HT)
When a pair of alleles for a characteristic are different
Homozygous (HT)
When a pair of alleles for a characteristic are the same
Hypothalamus (HT)
The part of the brain responsible for maintaining homeostatis
IVF/In vitro fertilisation (HT)
A technique in which egg cells are fertilised outside the female body
mRNA/Messenger RNA (HT)
The molecule that carries the genetic code out of the nucleus
Nitrogen fixing (HT)
The removal of nitrogen from the air
Phenotype (HT)
The characteristics shown by an individual
Pituitary gland (HT)
The small gland at the base of the brain that produces hormones
PGD/Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis (HT)
Includes removing a cell from an embryo at an early stage of development and testing it for genetic disorders
Sex-determining region Y (HT)
A sex-determining gene on the Y chromosome in humans and other primates
Therapeutic cloning (HT)
Cloning a cell to make a healthy tissue to replace a damaged one
Vasoconstriction (HT)
The narrowing of the blood vessels to decrease heat loss from the surface of the skin
Vasodilation (HT)
The widening of the blood vessels to increase heat loss from the surface of the skin
