Key words - module 4 bio

Active immunity

Resistance that has developed through the production of specific antibodies in response to a pathogen

Agglutinins

Chemicals that cause pathogens to aggregate together, aiding phagocytosis

Antibiotic

Chemical or compiled that kills or prevents growth of bacteria

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Bacteria that has mutated to become resistant to an antibiotic, able to pass on their antibiotic resistance

Antibodies

Immunoglobulins produced by B-lymphocytes in response to a specific antigen

Antigen

Chemical present on the surface of a cell that induces an immune response

Antigen presenting cell

Macrophage that displays foreign antigens

Anti-toxins

Chemicals produced by white blood cells that neutralise toxins released by pathogens

Artificial active immunity

Production of antibodies by the immune system following exposure to a weakened, or dead pathogen

Artificial passive immunity

Immunity acquired from the administration of specific antibodies from another organism

Athletes foot

Form of ringworm that affects the feet, resulting in cracking and scaling of the skin

Autoimmune disease

Condition when the immune system attacks and destroys healthy body tissue

Bacteria

Prokaryotic cells that have cell walls but lack organelles

Bacterial meningitis

Bacterial infection of the meninges

Black Sigatoka

Fungal disease found in tomatoes

B lymphocytes

Lymphocytes that mature in the bone marrow

B memory cells

B lymphocytes that provide immunological memory

Callose

Plant polysaccharide deposited between the cell walls and cell membrane in cells adjacent to infected cells serving as a defence against pathogens

Chitinsses

Enzymes that degrade chitin in fungal cell walls

Colonial expansion

Mass proliferation of specific antibody-producing cells

Clonal selection

Identification of an antibody-producing cell with complementary receptors to the shape of a specific antigen

Communicable disease

Disease caused by a pathogen and transmitted directly between organisms

Cytokines

Cell-signalling molecules produced by mast cells in damaged tissue, attract white blood cells to the site of damage

Direct transmission

Transfer of pathogens directly from one organism to another

Epidemic

Rapid rise in the incidence of a communicable disease at a local or national level

Expulsive reflexes

Coughs or sneezes initiated upon irritation of the respiratory tract

Fungi

Eukaryotic organisms that cause disease. Digest and destroy cells producing spores that can spread rapidly between organisms

Glucanases

Enzymes produced by plants that decompose glucans, polysaccharides found in cells walls of fungi, grains and algae

Histamine

Chemical produced by mast cells in damaged tissue. Makes blood vessels dilate and causes walls to become leakier

HIV

Virus that destroys T helper cells, weakening the immune system of the body

Indirect transmission

Transfer of a pathogen indirectly between organisms via fomites, vectors, droplet infection or soil contamination

Inflammation

Response of vascular tissue to pathogens; pain, redness, heat, or swelling

Influenza

Viral infection that destroys ciliated epithelial cells in gas exchange system

Interleukins

Cytokines produced by T helper cell’s that stimulate B cells

Lymphocytes

WBC that contribute to specific immune response

Lysosome

Membrane-bound organelle containing hydrolytic enzymes

Malaria

Disease caused by protoctista plasmodium

Mast cells

Specialised cells in connective tissue that release histamines and cytokines

MRSA

Bacteria that is very resistant

Mucous membranes

Membranes lining body cavities that secrete sticky mucus

Natural active immunity

Production of antibodies by the immune system following infection

Natural passive immunity

Immunity acquired by an infant mammal when antibodies are transferred through the placenta

Non-specific Defense

Defences that are always present and the same for all organisms

Opsonins

Chemicals that bind to and tag foreign cells, making them easily recognisable

Passive immunity

Resistance acquired via transfer of antibodies, short term immunity as no memory cells are produced

Pathogen

Disease containing microorganism

Penicillin

First effective and safe antibiotic

Personalised medicine

Medical care that enables doctors to provide healthcare customised to an individual’s genotype

Phagocytes

Specialised WBC that engulf and destroy pathogens

Phagocytosis

Process by which phagocytes engulf and destroy pathogens

Phagolysosome

Vesicle with a phagocyte formed by fusion on a phagosome and lysosome

Phagosome

Vacuole inside a phagocyte in which a foreign particle is engulfed

Plasma cells

B lymphocytes that produce antibodies specific to a particular antigen

Blight

Disease caused by protoctist causes collapse and decay of leaves and fruit

Primary immune response

Response of the immune system to a pathogen when it is first encountered

Protoctista

Eukaryotic, single celled microorganisms that may cause disease. Digest cells and use cell contents to reproduce

Ring rot

Bacterial disease

Ringworm

Fungal disease that affects mammals causing circular lesions on the skin

Secondary immune response

Response of the immune system to a pathogen when it is encountered for a second time

Immunological memory gives a rapid production of a large number of antibodies

T helper cells

T lymphocytes that bind to antigens and secrete interleukins

T killer cells

T lymphocytes that destroy pathogens

T lymphocytes

Lymphocytes that mature in the thymus gland

T memory cells

T lymphocytes that provide immunological memory

TMV

Virus that infects plants, damaging leaves and stunting growth

T regulator cells

T lymphocytes the regulate the immune response by suppressing other T cells and maintaining tolerance

Tuberculosis

Bacterial disease that damages lung tissue and weakens the immune system

Vaccination

Deliberate exposure of an individual to antigens from a pathogen to provide artificial active immunity

Vector

Living or non living agent that transmits a pathogen between organisms

Viruses

No living infectious agents that invade host cells and take over cell metabolism

Adaptation

Feature of an organism that increases its chance or survival in it’s environment

Belt transect

Line along a sample area upon which quadrants are placed at intervals to determine abundance and distribution

Binomial system

Universal system of naming organisms

Biodiversity

Variety of living organisms in an ecosystem

Classification

Organisation of organisms into groups

Community

All of the populations of different species living together in a habitat

Conservation

Maintenance of ecosystems and biodiversity by humans

Continuous variation

When a characteristic can have any value within a given range

Convention of Biological Diversity

Treaty that promotes sustainable use of an maintenance of biodiversity

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)

A treaty that regulates the trade of plants and wild animals across international borders

Convergent evolution

Process by which unrelated species evolve similar traits due to exposure to similar environments or selection pressures

Countryside Stewardship Scheme (CSS)

Provided financial incentives to farmers to enhance the and conserve the environment

Discontinuous variation

When a characteristic can only take certain values

Domain

Highest taxonomic rank

Archaea, Bacteria and Eukaryota

Evolution

Gradual change in allele frequencies within a population over time, occurring due to natural selection

Ex situ conservation

Type of conservation that takes place outside of an organisms natural habitat

Fossil

Remains of dead organisms found in rocks which are millions of years old

Fungi

Kingdom consisting of mushrooms, yeasts, moulds

Genetic biodiversity

Measure of the variety of genes that make up a species

Habitat biodiversity

Measure of number of different habitats found within an area

In situ conservation

Type of conservation that takes place within an organisms natural habitat

Interspecific variation

Differences between members of different species

Intraspecific variation

Differences between members of the same species

Keystone species

Species which has an unexpectedly large effect on the environment and is crucial for the maintenance of biodiversity

Kick-sampling

Used to sample organisms living on the bed of a river, placing a net up capture organisms

Kingdom

Second highest taxonomic rank

Line transect

Line along a sampled area where the species touching the transect at regular intervals are recorded to determine the abundance and distribution of organisms in an ecosystem

Monoculture

Growth of one crop in a given area

Natural selection

Process by which the frequency of advantageous alleles gradually increases in a population’s gene pool over time

Non-random sampling

A sampling method in which a sample is not chosen randomly including opportunistic, stratifies and systematic sampling

Opportunistic sampling

Non-random sampling that involves drawing a sample from part of the population that is conveniently available