Organisation Definitions

• Amylase


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


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


  A blood vessel that carries blood at high pressure away from the heart
• Benign tumour


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


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


  A non-communicable disease caused by changes in the cell that lead to uncontrolled growth and division
• Capillary


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


  The basic building block of all living organisms
• Communicable disease


  A disease that can be spread between individuals either directly or indirectly
• Coronary heart disease


  A disease caused by the buildup of fatty deposits inside the coronary artery, narrowing it and reducing blood flow to the heart tissue
• Enzymes


  Biological catalysts that increase the rate of reactions in living organisms
• Health


  The state of physical and mental wellbeing
• Heart


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


  An enzyme that is produced in the pancreas that breaks lipids down into fatty acids and glycerol
• Lock and key hypothesis


  A theory that describes how substrates must be the correct shape to fit the active site of an enzyme
• Malignant tumour


  A cancerous cell growth that invades neighbouring tissues and can spread to different parts of the body in the blood
• Meristem tissue


  Plant tissues containing undifferentiated stem cells
• Metabolism


  All of the chemical reactions occurring in an organism
• Non-communicable disease


  A disease which cannot be spread between individuals
• Organs


  Aggregations of tissues performing specific functions
• Organ systems


  Groups of organs that work together to form organisms
• Palisade mesophyll


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


  A transport tissue found in plants which is specialised to transport sugars from source to sink
• Protease


  An enzyme produced in the stomach and pancreas that breaks proteins down into amino acids
• 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
• Rate of reaction


  The speed at which reactants are converted into products
• Risk factor


  Something that increases a person's risk of developing a disease
• Spongy mesophyll


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


  A group of cells with a similar structure and function
• Translocation


  The movement of food molecules through the phloem tissue
• Transpiration


  The process of water evaporating from a plant
• Vein


  A blood vessel that carries blood at a low pressure back to the heart
• Vena cava


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


  A transport tissue in plants which is specialised to transport water and dissolved minerals from the roots of the plant to the leaves