biology

• Amylase


  An enzyme produced in the salivary glands and pancreas that breaks carbohydrates down into simple sugars.
• Lipase


  An enzyme that is produced in the pancreas that breaks lipids down into fatty acids.
• Protease


  An enzyme produced in the stomach and pancreas that breaks proteins down into amino acids.
• Enzymes


  Biological catalysts that increase the rate of reactions in living organisms.
• Lock and key hypothesis

  A theory that describes how substrates must be the correct shape to fit the active sight of an enzyme.
• Metabolism


  All of the chemical reactions occurring in an organism.
• Rate of reaction


  The speed at which reactants are converted into products.
• Capillary


  A very thin blood vessel that is used for exchange of substances.
• Artery


  A blood vessel that carries blood at a high pressure away from the heart.
• Vein


  A blood vessel that carries blood at a low pressure back to the heart.
• Blood


  A tissue containing red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and plasma.
• Aorta


  The main artery that takes oxygenated blood away from the heart to the body.
• Pulmonary artery


  The main artery that takes deoxygenated blood away from the heart to the lungs.
• Pulmonary vein


  The main vein that takes oxygenated blood back to the heart from the lungs.
• Vena cava


  The main vein that takes deoxygenated blood back to the heart from the body.
• Cell


  The basic building block of all living organisms.
• Tissue


  A group of cells with a similar structure and function.
• Organs


  Groups of tissues that work together to perform a specific function.
• Organ systems


  A group of organs that work together to form organisms.
• statins


  A class of drugs that are used to reduce blood cholesterol levels which slows down the rate of fatty material deposit.
• stent


  A tube that can be surgically implanted into blood vessels to keep them open.
• Heart


  An organ that pumps blood around the body in a double circulatory system.
• Bile


  A substance made in the liver and stored in the gallbladder which is used to neutralise stomach acid in the intestine and emulsify fats.
• Communicable disease


  A disease that can be spread between individuals either directly or indirectly.
• Non communicable disease


  A disease which cannot be spread between individuals.
• Health


  The state of physical and mental wellbeing.
• Malignant tumour


  A cancerous cell growth that invades neighbouring tissues and can be spread to different parts of the body.
• Benign tumour


  An abnormal cell growth that is contained within one area and does not invade other areas of the body.
• Cancer


  A non communicable disease caused by changes in the cell that lead to uncontrolled growth and division.
• Risk factor


  Something that increases a persons risk of developing a disease.
• Meristem tissue


  Plant tissues containing different undifferentiated stem cells.
• Palisade mesophyll


  A tissue found in plant leaves that is specialised to carry out photosynthesis.
• Phloem


  Living vascular tissue that carries sugar and organic substances throughout a plant
• Xylem


  vascular tissue that carries water upward from the roots to every part of a plant
• Spongy mesophyll


  A tissue found in plant leaves that is specialised for gas exchange.
• Translocation


  The movement of food molecules through the phloem tissue.
• Transpiration


  The process of water evaporating from a plant.
• Active site

  Unique shape in the enzyme molecule where the substrate binds
• Alveoli

  Air sacs in the lungs (at the end of the bronchioles) where gas exchange occurs
• Amylase

  Enzyme that breaks down starch to maltose