Learning Outcomes/Success Criteria
Unit 1 CfE Higher Human Biology
I can describe that stem cells are unspecialised cells that can divide and can differentiate
into specialised cells.
I can identify both embryonic and adult (tissue) stem cells as types of stem cell, and name
the types of cell that they can produce.
I can give examples of how stem cells are being used e.g. in bone marrow transplants, skin
grafts, cornea transplants and as model ells in drug testing.
I can identify the moral and ethical considerations when using stem cells.
I can explain how specialised cells arise through the process of differentiation and gene
expression.
I can give examples of somatic cells and differentiated tissues in humans.
I can identify the numbers of chromosomes present in somatic cells, germline cells and
gametes, and how chromosome number is maintained during mitosis, but halved in meiosis.
I can describe cancer as cells which continuously divide and can explain how secondary
tumours form.
I can state that the genotype of an organism depends on the sequence of bases on DNA,
which is found in genes, on chromosomes, together with any associated proteins.
I can describe the structure and replication of DNA, including it’s antiparallel nature,
bonding and base pairs
I can state that several molecules are required for DNA replication, including DNA
polymerase, primers, DNA ligase
I can state that nucleotides are added to the 3’ end of DNA.
I can explain that during DNA replication, the leading strand continuously synthesises a new
DNA strand, where in the lagging strand, DNA is synthesised in segments, and joined by
DNA ligase.
I can describe the sequence of events that occurs during synthesis of mRNA in the nucleus,
and state the main differences between DNA and RNA.
I can state that proteins are produced by the processes of transcription and translation,
including formation of the primary transcript, and that completed proteins are produced
from amino acids in ribosomes in the cytoplasm, which are linked by peptide bonds.
I can state that ribosomes are formed from proteins and rRNA.
I can explain how amino acids are produced from the base sequence in DNA to codons in
mRNA to anicodons in tRNA and that each tRNA molecule carries a specific amino acid.
I can state that several molecules are required for protein synthesis, including RNA
polymerase, promoters and terminators.
I can state that introns are non coding regions of genes and exons are coding regions of
genes.
I can explain how introns from the primary transcript of mRNA are removed in RNA splicing.
I can describe how a variety of proteins can be expressed from the same gene as a result of
alternative RNA splicing and post-translational modification.
I can explain that in post translation modification, protein structure is modified by cutting
and combining polypeptide chains or by adding phosphate or carbohydrate groups to the
protein.
I can describe how polypeptides are formed due to it’s 3D shape, hydrogen bonds and other
interactions between amino acids, and give examples of types of proteins produced.
I can state that genetic disorders are caused by changes to genes or chromosomes that
result in the proteins not being expressed or the proteins expressed not functioning
correctly.
I can identify single gene mutations and give suitable examples, including missense, nonsense,
splice site and nucleotide sequence repeat expansion mutations.
I can identify chromosome mutations and give suitable examples including deletion,
duplication and translocation.
I can state that computer technology can be used to identify known gene sequences
(bioinformatics), identify relationships between species (systematics) and to allow
personalised medicine and pharmacogentics.
I can state that PCR allows amplification of DNA through cycles of heating to sepearte the
strands, then cooling to allow primers to bind to target DNA sequences, and that heat
tolerant DNA polymerase is used in this process
I can explain how DNA probes with fluorescent labels are used in identifying disease and in
showing relationships between individuals e.g. paternity testing, and this can be carried out
multiple times with microarrays.
I can describe the difference between anabolic and catabolic processes, and explain how
metabolic pathways can have reversible and irreversible steps as well as alternative
pathways.
I can state that metabolic pathways are controlled at each step by enzymes, and can also be
controlled by intracellular and extracellular signalling molecules.
I can state that enzymes have active sites with affinity for substare molecules, and then
when the two combine, induced fit occurs.
I can explain how when enzymes and substartes combine, the reactants are orientated to the
active site, the activation energy is lowered and the products are then released from the
active site.
I can describe the effect of substrate concentration and end product concentration on the
rate of the reaction, and give examples.
I can describe the differences between competitive and non competitive inhibitors, and
explain how feedback inhibition can control the rate of reaction in a metabolic pathway.
I can identify ATP as the high energy compound which transfers energy, and is produced
when ADP combines with phosphate in phosphorylation, building up energy, and releases
energy when broken down into ADP and phosphate once more.
I can state that cells use high energy electrons to pump hydrogen ions across a membrane,
which activates the enzyme ATP synthase, and helps to produce ATP.
I can describe the process of glycolysis including the energy investment stage and the
energy pay off phase, and the use of phosphofruktokinase in progessing the glycolysis
pathway.
I can describe the sequence of events that occur after pyruvate production, and onto the
citric acid cycle, in the presence of oxygen including the production of acetyle coenzyme A,
citric scid and oxaolacetate.
I can state the number of carbon atoms present in each of the main carbon compounds in
respiration, and the use of dehydrogenase enzymes to remove hydrogen ions which are then
passed to the coenzyme molecules FAD and NAD.
I can describe NAD and FAD as carrier molecules, which carry the high energy electrons to
the electron transport chain.
I can explain how the high energy electrons release energy, which is then used to pump
hydrogen ions across the membrane, activating ATP synthase and producing ATP.
I can state that oxygen is the final hydrogen acceptor in the electron transport chain, and
combines with hydrogen to produce water.
I can explain how creatine phosphate can break down, releasing phosphate and allowing the
production of ATP from ADP and phosphate during strenuous activity.
I can describe how ATP production can be regulated by the build up of ATP or citric acid as
these can inhibit phosphofruktokinase.
I can identify starch and glycogen as alternative respiratory substrates, as well as proteins
and fats.
I can state that alternative respiratory substrates can be converted to intermediate
molecules in glycolysis, and can then enter the citric acid cycle.
I can describe the conversion of pyruvate to lactic acid during strenuous activity when
insufficient oxygen is available, and the build up of an oxygen debt, which must be repaid
when the activity is over.
I can identify the two types of muscle fibre, and the differences in their number of
mitochondria, blood supply, storage fuel and rate of contraction and give examples of the
type of activities which depend on them.