Characteristics

1.1 Students should:

 understand how living organisms share the following characteristics:

 Movement: an action by an organism or part of an organism causing a change of position or place.

 Respiration: the chemical reactions that break down nutrient molecules in living cells to release
energy.
 Sensitivity: the ability to detect or sense changes (stimuli) in their surroundings and to make
appropriate responses.
 Homeostasis: the ability to control their internal conditions.
 Growth and development: a permanent increase in size and dry mass (growth) and an increase in
complexity (development).
 Reproduction: the processes that make more of the same kind of organism.
 Excretion: the removal from organisms of toxic materials and the waste products of metabolism.
 Nutrition: the taking in of materials for energy, growth and development.

Organelles, Cells, Tissues, Organs & Systems

Specification Point 2.1

 Describe the Levels of Organisation in organisms: Organelles, Cells, Tissues, Organs and Systems

Levels of organisation:

Fig: Levels of organisation

Cell Structure & Function

Common Cell Structures

(Specification Point 2.2 Describe cell structures, including the nucleus, cytoplasm, cell membrane, cell wall, mitochondria, chloroplast, ribosome and vacuole)

 Cytoplasm is found inside the cell and contains all the other cell structures
 The large nucleus is surrounded by a nuclear membrane to separate it from the cytoplasm
 The cell membrane surrounds the cell
 The cell wall is made of cellulose and surrounds the cell membrane in plant cells

 Mitochondria (singular: mitochondrion) are organelles found throughout the cytoplasm

 Chloroplasts are organelles found in the cytoplasm that are packed with the pigment chlorophyll and
so are green in colour.
 Ribosomes are tiny structures that can be free within the cytoplasm or attached to a system of
membranes inside the cell
 Vacuoles are large vesicles that take up a large part of the interior of plant cells.

Fig: Common cell structures in animal and plant cells

Functions
(Specification Point 2.3=Describe the functions of the nucleus, cytoplasm, cell membrane, cell wall, mitochondria, chloroplasts, ribosomes and vacuole)
Comparing Plant & Animal Cells
(Specification Point 2.4=Know the similarities and differences in the structure of plant and animal cells)

Cell Differentiation

Specialised Cells
Specification Point 2.5B

 Explain the importance of cell differentiation in the development of specialised cells

 Specialised cells are those which have developed certain characteristics in order to perform particular
functions
 Cells specialise by undergoing differentiation: a process that involves the cell gaining new structures
within the cell in order for it to be suited to its function
 Cells can either differentiate once early on or have the ability to differentiate their whole lives (these
are called stem cells)
 In animals, most cells only differentiate once, but in plants many cells retain the ability

Examples of specialised animal cells include: