Glossary
3D-bioprinting The three-dimensional printing of biological tissue and organs through the layering of stem cells
abiotic non-iiving conditions or things
acid rain Any rainfall which is more acid than normal rainfall (pH 5.5-6.0). It is caused by emissions of sulfur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen
active site Region of an enzyme where the substrate binds
active transport Movement of substances from lower to higher concentration (i.e. against their concentration gradient). This needs energy from respiration
adaptation The process by which organisms adjust to changes in their environment in order to aid in their survival
adenine A base that pairs with thymine in DNA and with uracil in RNA
aerobic respiration Biochemical process that releases energy from a sugar in the presence of oxygen
algae Protoctists that contain chlorophyll but lack roots, leaves and transport tissue. Includes many singIe-celled forms and the seaweeds
alien species A non-native species living outside its normal range which has arrived there through human activity (either deliberate or accidental)
allele Different versions of the same gene
alveolus (pl. alveoli) Air sac in the lung where gas exchange takes place
amino acid Building block of proteins
anabolic reactions When complex molecules are built up from smaller ones
anaerobic respiration Respiration in the absence of oxygen, producing either lactic acid (humans) or ethanol (plants and yeast)
analogous features Similar in structure but of different evolutionary origin
anaphase Stage of cell division where chromatids separate and move to different ends of the cell
ancestor An early form of species from which others have evolved
ancestral Relating to/evolved from an ancestor.
antibiotic Compounds produced by some micro-organisms which selectively inhibit or kill other micro-organ/sms; an antibiotic medicine prevents or stops the growth and spread of bacteria
antibody Proteins produced by the immune system that target and help to destroy specific pathogens
aquatic Relating to water
artery Blood vessel that carried blood away from the heart to tissues and organs of the body
artificial selection Selection in breeding carried out deliberately by humans
asexual reproduction Reproduction not involving gametes or fertilization
atrium (pl. atria) The upper chambers of a heart, into which blood flows
autoimmune disease A disease that is caused when a body's immune system produces antibodies that attack the body’s own cells
autotroph A ‘self-feeder’ an organism that can make its own food (glucose) from simpler substances
bacteria (sing. bacterium) Microscopic organisms without a true nucleus
balanced A state of stability/the components of a system are in equilibrium base The unit in DNA that contains the genetic code
behavioral Characteristics, such as how an animal lives with others in its group
bile Substance produced in the liver that neutralizes stomach acid and emulsifies fats in the small intestine
biodiversity The variety of different types of life found on Earth
biofuel A fuel produced from biological raw materials, such as plant crops or animal waste
biotechnology The industrial and commercial application of biology
biotic Things associated with or that come from living things cancer The uncontrolled replication of cells
capillary Very thin blood vessel that supplies oxygen and nutrients direct to body tissues, and removes waste
carbohydrase Enzyme that breaks down carbohydrates into simple sugars
carbohydrates Molecules that provide a ready source of energy for the body. They come in simple forms such as glucose, and in complex forms, such as starches and cellulose
carbon capture Mechanisms by which atmospheric carbon dioxide is removed
carbon offset A reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, using carbon capture techniques, in order to compensate for emissions made elsewhere by e.g. burning fossil fuels
carbon sink Something that absorbs more carbon, usually in the form of carbon dioxide, than it emits, for example a tropical rainforest
carnivore an animal that eats only other animals
catabolic reactions Where complex molecules are broken down into simpler ones
catalyst A substance that alters the rate of a chemical reaction, but remains unchanged at the end
cell The basic building blocks of structure in an organism. Cells are the smallest unit of life and are made from other cells by division
cell membrane Partially permeable structure that controls the passage of substances in and out of a cell
cell wall A tough, flexible, fully permeable structure located outside the cell membrane of plants, fungi, bacteria and plant-like Protoctista. It supports the cell and prevents it from bursting when water enters
cellulose A macromolecu/e made of 2000-3000 glucose units joined together. It is the main molecule in plant cell walls
central nervous system (CNS) one of the two main systems of the nervous system; the CNS is made up of the brain and spinal cord and is responsible for processing information that comes from and goes to all parts of the body
centromere The part of a chromosome that joins the two chromatids together, and to which spindle fibres attach during cell division characteristic A distinguishing feature of an organism
chemoreceptor Specialized sensory neurons that respond to chemical stimuli such as the presence of smell or taste molecules, or changes in the concentration of carbon dioxnde
chemosynthesis The process of producing organic forms of chemical energy (carbohydrates) from non-organic forms of chemical energy
chitin A long macromolecu/e made from glucose and amino acid, used in the construction of the cell wall of fungi and the exoskeleton of arthropods
chlorophyll The main photosynthetic pigment of green plants
chloroplast Organelle that is the site of photosynthesis and contains chlorophyll
chromatid One of two copies of a chromosome after it has replicated
chromosome A long length of DNA, packaged with protein, containing many genes
classification The process of dividing organisms into groups with similar characteristics
climate change See global warming clone A group of genetically identical individuals (or cells)
cloning Making a genetically identical copy of an organism
common ancestor The most recent species from which two or more different species have evolved
communicable disease A disease that is spread between individuals through air or body fluids; also known as an 'infectious disease’
community A group of populations of organisms living and interacting with each other in a habitat
comparative anatomy The study of similarities and differences in the anatomy of different species, used to study the evolution of species
complementary bases Two bases that have shapes that can fit together. Adenine pairs with thymine, and cytosine with guanine in DNA
concentration The quantity of a substance in a defined space or volume
concentration gradient The difference in concentration between one area and another
cross-breed To produce an animal or plant by deliberately mating individuals of different breeds or varieties
crossing-over Exchange of genetic material between chromosomes during meiosis
cycle A series of events that are regularly repeated in the same order
cytokinesis Division of cytoplasm after the nucleus has divided into two
cytoplasm Site of many chemical reactions controlled by enzymes. Contains organelles such as mitochondria
cytosine A base found in DNA and RNA that pairs with guanine
decomposers Bacteria and fungi that feed on dead plant and animal material
deforestation The removal of trees from an area of land
deletion The removal of a base from DNA
denature A structural change in a protein that results in the substrate being unable to fit the active site, stopping activity
deoxygenated With oxygen removed
destarch Remove starch from a plant by keeping it in the dark
detritivore Decomposer, such as a fly, that breaks down and uses dead organic matter as a source of food and energy
diabetes Inability to control blood-sugar level due to lack of insulin
diaphragm A sheet of tissues, largely muscle, separating the thorax from the abdomen in mammals
diet The types of food an organism usually eats
differentiate Make or become different in the process of growth or development
diffusion The movement of molecules from higher to lower concentration
digestion The process of breaking large insoluble molecules into small soluble ones
diploid Cells with nuclei that have two sets of chromosomes, one from each parent
distribution Location of a species around the world
diversity The amount of biological variety in an area. It can be measured in terms of species, habitat or genetic diversity
DNA Deoxyribonucleic acid a molecule common to all life on Earth. it contains the code that determines the structure of living things
DNA ligase An enzyme which can connect pieces of DNA together dominant An a/Ie/e that always shows through, and that causes the homozygous form and the heterozygous form to look the same as each other
ecological footprint The area of land and water required to provide sustainably all resources at the rate at which they are being consumed by a given population
ecosystem A community of organisms that depend on each other and the environment they live in
egg Female sex cell
embryo The earliest stages in development of a new organism
embryonic Relating to an embryo
emission The production and release of something, e.g. a gas
emulsification Break fats into very tiny droplets
endangered species A species at risk of extinction
endemic species A species found in a particular area and nowhere else. See also native species
environment The external surroundings of an organism that act on it and affect its survival
environmental Relating to the environment
enzyme A biological catalyst
enzyme-substrate complex Structure formed when a substrate combines with an enzyme at its active site
ethical Relating to beliefs about whether something is right or wrong
eutrophication The addition of nitrates or phosphates to a body of water resulting in an increase in algal growth and reduced dissolved oxygen
evolution The cumulative and gradual change in the genetic characteristics of successive generations of a species; the cumulative gradual changes eventually give rise to species different from the common ancestor
evolve The process of having undergoing evolution
ex situ conservation The preservation of species outside their natural habitats, usually in zoos which carry out captive breeding and reintroduction programmes
excretion Get rid of waste produced by chemical reactions in cells
exploitation Using something for maximum gain extinction The irreversible loss of species
fatty acid One of the building blocks of fat, along with glycerol. Made from a long chain of carbon and hydrogen atoms
fauna Animals
fertilization The fusion of male and female gametes to form a zygote
fertilizer A chemical or natural substance added to soil to increase the yield of a crop
fibre Substance in food made from cellulose cell walls
flora Plants food chain Linear sequence of what eats what in an ecosystem
food web Graphica| representation of interconnected food chains in an ecosystem to show the complex connections of what eats what in each trophic level
fossil The remains or impression of an ancient species preserved in rock
fossil fuels The remains of dead plants and animals formed millions of years ago: coal was formed from dead plant material; oil and gas were formed from dead marine organisms
fungus (pl. fungi) Heterotrophic, non-motile, multicel/u/ar (usually) organisms with a myce/ium of hyphae and chitin cell walls. They constitute a separate kingdom
gamete Sex cell (e.g. ovum, sperm)
gas exchange Process through which oxygen and carbon dioxide are transferred in opposite directions across a specialized surface
gene Sections of DNA found in the nucleus of all cells
gene pool Ail the different types of gene found within every individual of a species
generation A group of organisms born and living around the same time
genetic Relating to genes and heredity
genetic code The order of bases in DNA that determines the sequence of amino acids in a protein
genetic disease Disease caused by changes in the genetic code, rather than by pathogens
genetic engineering/genetic modification (GM) DNA IS modified so that a unique set of genes is produced
genome The whole of the genetic information of an Organism
ginorne mapping Methods used to find the exact ocation of a gene on a chromosome
genotype The ’genetic makeup’ of a person; the genetic 'n Ormation in the cell
of t€th warming An Increase in the average temperature e Earth’s atmosphere
glu C::\?on Hormone produced by the pancreas that erts
glycerol into glucose glycerol One of the agds building blocks of fat, along with fatty
glycogen Storage moiecule of glucose in animals and bacteria
gradient Change in quantity of something (e.g. temperature, pressure, or concentration) from one area to another
gravitotropism Adaptive response in plants that causes them to move and grow in response to gravity
greenhouse effect A natural process in which greenhouse gases allow short-wave radiation to pass through the atmosphere but trap some outgoing longwave radiation. It increases global temperatures by about 33°C, allowing life on Earth to exist
greenhouse gas Gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, which absorb infrared radiation; this can lead to global warming
growth Achieve a permanent change in size
guanine A base found in DNA and RNA that pairs with cytosine
habitat The place where a species lives haploid Cells having one set of chromosomes herbivore An animal that eats only plants
herbivory The process of searching for, finding and eating plants
heredity Passing characteristics genetically from one generation to the next
heterotroph An organism that feeds on other organisms to obtain its food
heterozygous Two different alleles for a particular characteristic in each cell
hierarchy A structure made from many different levels. In biology it relates to the different levels of classification from kingdom to species
homeostasis Maintaining a constant internal environment homeostatic Relating to homeostasis homologous features Similarity due to common ancestry
homozygous Two identical alleles for a particular characteristic in each cell
hormone A chemical messenger in living things
host An organism on or in which a parasrte lives; the host provides nutrients and other benefits to the parasite at the expense of the host’s welI-being
Human Genome Project (HGP) An international scientific research project; its aim was to determine the sequence of the 3 billion base pairs which make up the DNA of humans
hyphae Each of the branching filaments that make up the myce/ium of a fungus