Contents

Introduction v
Acknowledgements vi
Unit F211: Cells, Exchange and
Transport
1 Cell structure 1
Microscopes 1
Cells 8
Structure and function of organelles 13
Prokaryotic cells 19
2 Cell membranes 24
Structure of cell membranes 25
Cell signalling 26
Movement across cell membranes 29
3 Cell division and cellular
organisation 36
The cell cycle 36
Diferentiation 40
Tissues, organs and organ systems 44
Another type of cell division 47
4 Exchange 50
Exchange surfaces 50
The mammalian gas exchange system 53
Measuring lung volumes 58
5 Transport in animals 62
Types of transport system 62
The mammalian heart 65
Blood vessels 73
Blood plasma, tissue uid and lymph 77
Blood 79
6 Transport in plants 87
Plant transport systems 87
Water transport in plants 88
Translocation 99
iii
Unit F212: Molecules, Biodiversity,
Food and Health
7 Biological molecules 105
Water 105
Proteins 108
Carbohydrates 116
Lipids 119
8 Nucleic acids 124
Polynucleotides 124
9 Enzymes 131
How enzymes work 131
The course of a reaction 134
Measuring reaction rate 136
Enzyme inhibitors 138
10 Diet and food production 143
Nutrition 143
Diet and the cardiovascular system 146
Sources of food 151
Selective breeding 152
Increasing food production 157
Microorganisms and food 160
11 Health and disease 166
Parasites and pathogens 166
The immune response 174
Controlling infectious disease 183
Smoking and health 189
Evidence for the efects of smoking on
health 194
12 Biodiversity 199
Measuring biodiversity 199
Sampling 200
Species evenness 206
Advice
iv
13 Classication 209
Classication and taxonomy 209
The ve-kingdom classication 214
The three-domain classication 217
14 Evolution 219
Variation 219
Charles Darwin and the theory of natural
selection 221
Speciation 227
The evidence for evolution 228
15 Maintaining iodiversity b 233
Threats to biodiversity 233
The importance of maintaining
biodiversity 235
Conservation 236
Answers to self-assessment
questions 244
Glossary 257
Index 268