Curriculum matching
'Big Picture: The Cell' is particularly relevant to the following examination board specifications:
AQA GCE Biology
3.1.3
Cells - the appearance, ultrastructure and function of plasma membrane, microvilli, nucleus, mitochondria, lysosomes, ribosomes, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus.
3.2.5
During mitosis, the parent cell divides to produce two daughter cells, each containing an exact copy of the DNA of the parent cell. Mitosis increases the cell number in this way in growth and tissue repair.
Mitosis and the cell cycle. DNA is replicated and this takes place during interphase.
3.2.6
Cell differentiation - The cells of multicellular organisms may differentiate and become adapted for specific functions.
Totipotent cells are cells that can mature into any body cell. During development, totipotent cells translate only part of their DNA, resulting in cell specialization.
3.5.7
Only a few totipotent cells, called stem cells, remain in mature animals. These can be used in treating some genetic disorders.
AQA GCE Science in Society
3.1.5 Ethical issues in medicine
Stem cells; potential therapies using stem cells and ethical issues surrounding the use of embryonic stem cells.
OCR GCE Biology
3.1 AS Unit F211: Cells, Exchange and Transport
Describe and interpret drawings and photographs of eukaryotic cells as seen under an electron microscope and be able to recognise the following structures: nucleus, nucleolus, nuclear envelope, rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum (ER), Golgi apparatus, ribosomes, mitochondria, lysosomes, chloroplasts, plasma (cell surface) membrane, centrioles, flagella and cilia.
Explain the term ‘cell signalling’.
State that mitosis occupies only a small percentage of the cell cycle and that the remaining percentage includes the copying and checking of genetic information.
Describe, with the aid of diagrams and photographs, the main stages of mitosis.
Define the term ‘stem cell’.
3.4 A2 Unit F214 Communication, Homeostasis and Energy
Describe and explain how cells of multicellular organisms are specialised for particular functions, with reference to erythrocytes (red blood cells), neutrophils, epithelial cells, sperm cells, palisade cells, root hair cells and guard cells.
Discuss the importance of cooperation between cells, tissues, organs and organ systems.
State that cells need to communicate with each other by a process called cell signalling.
State that neuronal and hormonal systems are examples of cell signalling.
3.5 A2 Unit F215: Control, Genomes and Environment
Explain the meaning of the terms first messenger and second messenger, with reference to adrenaline and cyclic AMP (cAMP).
Describe, with the aid of diagrams and photographs, the behaviour of chromosomes during meiosis, and the associated behaviour of the nuclear envelope, cell membrane and centrioles.
Edexcel GCE Biology
2.3 Topic 3: The voice of the genome
Describe the ultrastructure of an animal (eukaryotic) cell (nucleus, nucleolus, ribosomes, rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, centrioles, lysosomes and Golgi apparatus) and recognize these organelles from EM images.
Explain the role of mitosis and the cell cycle for growth and asexual reproduction.
Explain what is meant by the terms stem cell, pluripotency and totipotency and discuss the way society uses scientific knowledge to make decisions about the use of stem cells in medical therapies (eg regulatory authorities relating to human embryo research, ability of stem cells to develop into specialised tissues, potential sources of stem cells, who could benefit from the therapies, procedures to obtain stem cells and their risks).
WJEC GCE Biology
1.2 Cell structure and organisation
The internal membranes of eukaryotic cells and their importance. The structure of the following organelles: mitochondria; endoplasmic reticulum (rough and smooth); ribosomes; Golgi body; lysosomes; centrioles; chloroplasts; vacuoles; nucleus; chromatin; nuclear envelope; nucleolus; plasmodesmata.
Interphase and the main stages of mitosis. Significance of mitosis as a process in which daughter cells are provided with identical copies of genes.
1.7 Genetic information is copied and passed on to daughter cells
Significance in terms of damage and disease: repeated cell renewal, damage repair and healing and unrestricted division leading to cancerous growth.
Significance of difference between mitosis and meiosis.
5.6 Applications of reproduction and genetics
Issues surrounding the use of stem cells for replacing damaged tissues and organs.
Scottish Higher Biology
Unit 1: Cell Biology
Cell variety
The concept of variation in structure between cells of one type of tissue and between cells of different types of tissue.
The existence of unicellular organisms.
The relationship of structure to function.