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Higher – Cell Biology
Can I:
Cell structure in relation to function
 Identify cells from different tissue types
 Explain the relationship between the structure of the cell and its function
 Give examples of unicellular organisms
 Define diffusion and osmosis
 Explain the role of the cell wall and cell membrane in diffusion and osmosis
 Define the terms hypertonic, hypotonic, isotonic, flaccid / plasmolysed, and
turgid
 Explain what happens when a plant or animal cell is placed in a hypertonic
solution and a hypotonic solution.
 Describe the structure and permeability of the cell wall
 Describe the structure of the plasma membrane in terms of the fluid mosaic model
 Describe the function of the plasma membrane in active transport and the
absorption and release of chemicals
Photosynthesis
 Describe the absorption spectrum of chlorophyll and other photosynthetic
pigments and relate this to the action spectrum of photosynthesis
 Explain how the light energy is used
 Explain the role of chlorophyll a and b, xanthophylls and carotene
 Describe how to separate leaf pigments using chromatography
 Identify the internal structures in a chloroplast and describe the location of the
light dependent phase and carbon dioxide fixation
 Describe the processes occurring in the light dependent phase of photosynthesis,
including photolysis, ATP and H production.
 Describe the Calvin cycle (carbon dioxide fixation), accounting for the number of
carbon atoms and explaining where the intermediate compounds GP (PGA) and
RuBP (RuDP) are involved in the cycle
 Explain how the light dependent phase of photosynthesis links to the Calvin Cycle
 Name the biological molecules that are derived from the photosynthetic process
Energy release
 Define respiration
 Describe the role of ATP in the cell and explain how it is regenerated from ADP
and inorganic phosphate
 Describe the processes of oxidation and reduction
 Describe the process of glycolysis and name the location in the cell in which
glycolysis takes place
 Name some alternative respiratory substances to glucose
 Describe the Krebs cycle, accounting for all the carbon atoms in the cycle and
naming the following compounds acetyl-CoA, citric acid and carbon dioxide.
Based on SQA arrangement document – edition 5, published June 2002
These notes updated August 2003
 Describe the cytochrome system and explain the roles oxygen, hydrogen and
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NAD play in this process
Identify the structure of the Mitochondria including the cristae and central
matrix and explain the biochemical reactions associated with each
Describe the difference between the final metabolic products and level of ATP
production in aerobic and anaerobic respiration
Synthesis and Release of Proteins
 Explain how the amino acid sequence can affect function and structure in proteins.
Describe the 2 groups in which proteins are classified according to their function
 Describe the structure and function of DNA
 Describe the process of DNA replication and explain its importance
 Describe the structure of RNA
 Explain the processes of transcription and translation, including the functions of
mRNA and tRNA in protein synthesis, the triplet code, codons and anticodons
 Describe the function and distribution in the cell of the following: ribosomes and
rough endoplasmic reticulum, endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus
Cellular Response in Defence in Animals and Plants
 Describe the structure and replication of a virus
 Describe phagocytosis and explain the role of lysosomes in phagocytosis
 Describe production of antibodies by lymphocytes and explain the antibody
action in response to the presence of foreign antigens
 Discuss the problem of tissue rejection ad explain how this is overcome in tissue
transplantation
 Explain some of the cellular defense mechanisms plants use to protect themselves
Based on SQA arrangement document – edition 5, published June 2002
These notes updated August 2003
Higher – Genetics and Adaptation
Can I:
Variation
 Describe the role of sexual reproduction as a means of enabling genetic variation
and the importance of this
 Explain meiosis using the following terms: 1st and 2nd meiotic division, gamete
mother cell, chromosome, chromatid, chiasmata, homologous
 Describe crossing over and independent assortment during meiosis and explain
the significance of these processes
 Carry out dihybrid crosses and predict expected F2 phenotypic ratios
 Describe how linked genes effect the F2 generation
 Define recombination and explain how recombinants are created
 Define frequency of recombination and explain how this is related to the
distance between linked genes
 Map the relative location of up to 4 genes on a chromosome given the percentage
recombination frequencies
 Explain sex linkage and describe how a sex linked trait (both recessive and
dominant) might affect a male or a female
 Define mutation and mutant
 Explain what is meant by gene mutation frequency and interpret data on this
 Identify some mutagenic agents and explain the effect they have on the mutation
rate
 Describe the process of non-disjunction and describe the effect of this, with
examples
 Describe polyploidy and explain its advantages in crop production
 Describe the following changes in the chromosome: duplication, translocation,
deletion and inversion
 Describe the following changes in the DNA sequence and describe the effect this
has on amino acid sequences: substitution, insertion, deletion and inversion
Selection and Speciation
 Describe Natural Selection and explain the role it has in evolution
 Define the term species
 Explain the process leading to speciation
 Define adaptive radiation and give some examples
 Explain high speed evolution such as antibiotic resistance in bacteria and the
melanic peppered moth
 Explain how species are being conserved through wildlife reserves, captive
breeding and cell banks
 Explain the importance of maintaining genetic diversity
 Define selective breeding and hybridisation, giving examples of both
 Explain the process of genetic engineering using the manufacture of insulin and
human growth hormone as examples
Based on SQA arrangement document – edition 5, published June 2002
These notes updated August 2003
 Explain the process of somatic fusion in plants and why it is used
Animal and Plant Adaptations
 Explain osmoregulation in freshwater and saltwater bony fish. Make reference to
the number and size of the glomeruli, the filtration rate and the role of the
chloride secretory cells of the gills in each case
 Explain some of the adaptations associated with salmon and eel migration
 Describe some measures of water conservation in a desert mammal. Make
distinctions between physiological adaptations and behavioural adaptations
 Describe the process of transpiration and the importance of the transpiration
stream to a plant
 Describe some of the factors affecting the rate of transpiration
 Explain how the stomata open and close
 Describe some adaptations in xerophytes and hydrophytes and explain the effect
of each adaptation
 Describe foraging behaviour and search patterns in animals
 Explain the economics of foraging behaviour
 Define interspecific and intraspecific competition and give examples of each,
describing how they arise
 Describe a dominance hierarchy and explain how all animals in the hierarchy
might benefit from cooperative hunting
 Explain territorial behaviour and the effect this has on competition for food
 Define sessile and note the need for different strategies employed by plants and
animals to obtain food
 Name the factors plants compete for
 Explain the effect of grazing by herbivores on species diversity
 Describe the difference between the compensation point in sun plants and shade
plants
 Describe avoidance behaviour in animals and explain the value of habituation
as a short term modification of a response
 Describe learning as a long term modification of a response and give examples of
this in natural situations
 Describe some individual and social mechanisms for defence in animals
 Explain some of the structural defence mechanisms used by plants
 Describe some means by which plants are able to tolerate grazing
Based on SQA arrangement document – edition 5, published June 2002
These notes updated August 2003
Higher – Control and Regulation
Can I:
Control of Growth and Development
 Describe the position and function of a meristem in a plant and note the absence
of meristems in animals
 Describe how growth rings are formed in a plant and explain the difference
between spring and summer xylem vessels
 Define regeneration and compare examples of regeneration in angiosperms and
animals
 Give examples of a growth pattern in animals and plants, including an annual
plant, a tree, a human and a locust
 Describe the Jacob-Monod hypothesis of gene action in bacteria using lactose
metabolism in E. coli as an example. Use the terms repressor molecule,
regulator gene, inducer, operator and structural gene
 Describe how genes in control metabolic pathways, using phenylketonuria as an
example
 Define cell differentiation and explain how it occurs
 Describe the role of the pituitary gland in the control of growth and development
involving human growth hormone (GH) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH),
including the role of thyroxine
 Name some plant growth substances
 Describe the site of production of IAA, its role in the plant and the effects it has at
cellular and organ levels
 Describe the effects of GA on dormancy and in dwarf varieties, and the role of
GA in -amylase induction in barley grains
 Describe some practical applications of plant growth substances
 Describe the macro elements required by the plant and explain why they are
required
 Describe the symptoms of deficiency of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and
magnesium in plants
 Describe the importance of iron and calcium in animals
 Explain the effect lead has on organisms
 Describe the effect of Vitamin D deficiency in humans
 Describe the effect of Thalidomide, alcohol and nicotine on foetal development
 Describe the effect of light on the growth and development of a vegetative shoot
(know the meaning of phototropism and etiolation with respect to this)
 Define photoperiodism and describe the effect of light on flowering in long day
and short day plants
 Describe the effect of light on the timing of breeding in birds and mammals
Physiological Homeostasis
 Define homeostasis and explain the principal of negative feedback control
Based on SQA arrangement document – edition 5, published June 2002
These notes updated August 2003
 Describe the role of ADH, insulin, glucagon and adrenaline and name the glands
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which produce them
Describe the control of the water content of blood and the concentration of cell
chemicals
Describe the control of glucose and energy needs of tissue
Describe the control of body temperature and the importance of this control to
enzyme-controlled metabolic processes in the body
Explain the difference between endotherms and ectotherms
Population Dynamics
 Describe the fluctuations in populations and their relative stability
 Identify the density-independent factors influencing population change
 Identify the density-dependent factors influencing population change and explain
their affects
 Explain the purposes of monitoring populations
 Define succession and climax in plant communities
 Describe the changes occurring in species diversity, biomass and complexity of
food webs during succession
 Describe the unidirectional nature and ability to cause habitat modification of
succession
Based on SQA arrangement document – edition 5, published June 2002
These notes updated August 2003