Igcse bio key words

Amoeba

Protists that live in pond water and resemble animal cells.

Chlorella

A protoctist that has features similar to plant cells.

Hyphae

Long filaments of a fungus that contain many nuclei.

Mucor

A multicellular fungus that has a hyphae structure.

Mycelium

A collection of thread-like hyphae in fungi.

Plasmids

Loops of DNA found in the cytoplasm.

Plasmodium

A protoctist that causes malaria.

Stem Cell

An undifferentiated cell that can divide to produce many specialized cells of the same type.

Cell Differentiation

The process by which a cell becomes specialized to its function.

Alimentary Canal

The digestive tract running from the mouth to the anus.

Colon

The first part of the large intestine.

Duodenum

The first part of the small intestine.

Ileum

The second section of the small intestine.

Cellular Respiration

An exothermic reaction that takes place continuously in living cells and produces energy from nutrient molecules.

Amniotic Fluid

The fluid that surrounds and protects the embryo in the uterus.

Gametes

Sex cells with half the usual number of chromosomes.

Placenta

A temporary organ attached to the lining of the uterus during pregnancy that provides nutrients to the developing embryo.

Zygote

A fertilized egg.

Allele

A version of DNA.

Anticodon

Part of a tRNA molecule that is complementary to the codon on a corresponding molecule of mRNA.

Mutation

A random change in DNA which may result in genetic variation.

Phenotype

An organism's observable characteristics due to interactions of the genotype and the environment.

Variation

The differences between individuals due to genes, the environment, or a combination of both.

Leaching

The loss of plant nutrients from the soil when fertilizers run off the land into lakes and rivers, potentially leading to eutrophication.