Question 1

CALCULATOR

Which statement best describes stem cells?

● A. Stem cells cannot be found in the adult body.

● B. The foetus is composed only of stem cells.

● C. Stem cells can divide and differentiate into different types of specialised cells.

● D. Stem cells have undergone specialisation and maturation.

Difficulty: EASY
C

Explanation‾Explanation:
Choice A - There are still stem cells that can be found in the adult body. For example, stem cells are present in the bone marrow,
skin, and liver.

Choice B - The foetal stage of development happens from the ninth week after conception until birth. In this stage, the organs have
begun to form, and these developing organs come from differentiated stem cells.

Choice C - Stem cells are characterised by their capacity to divide and differentiate. These cells are similar to a blank canvas with
the possibility of becoming any type of cell.

Choice D - Stem cells are yet to undergo specialisation through the process of differentiation.

Question 2
CALCULATOR

[Maximum mark: 6]

The image below is a micrograph of blood.

Magnification: 800x
[Source: Adapted from Berkshire Community College Bioscience Image Library. (2018). Connective Tissue: Human Blood
Leukocyte Survey. Flickr. Retrieved April 4, 2022, from https://www.flickr.com/photos/146824358@N03/26921278147. Copyright
free]

1. Identify the part of the cells labelled A and B. [2]

2. Outline why blood is classified as a tissue. [1]

3. State where the stem cells needed to produce red blood cells are located. [1]

4. Progenitor cells are produced by dividing stem cells. These cells will eventually differentiate even further. Blood cells have
a common progenitor cell. Describe the process that happens to these progenitor cells. [2]
Difficulty: EASY

Question 3
CALCULATOR

Which of the following explains the limitations on cell size?

Surface area to volume ratio Increases in cytoplasmic Fewer transport proteins are
decreases as cell size volume increase metabolic present in the cell membranes of
increases demands larger cells

A. ✔ ✔ ✔
 B. ✔ ✘ ✘

C. ✘ ✔ ✔

D. ✔ ✔ ✘

Difficulty: EASY
D

Explanation‾Explanation:
Choice D is correct because larger cells do not generally have fewer transport proteins. Choice D is also correct because as cell
size increases, cytoplasmic volume increases, increasing the cell's metabolic demands which increases the cell’s need to exchange
substances. Because cytoplasmic volume increases more rapidly than the surface area of the cell membrane, the surface area to
volume ratio decreases. This means that as cell size increases, the cell membrane's surface area is soon unable to excrete waste
and intake nutrients rapidly enough.

Choice A and C are incorrect as they include the statement that fewer transport proteins are present in the cell membranes of
larger cells. Choice B is incorrect as it does not include the statement that increases in cytoplasmic volume increase metabolic
demands

Question 4
CALCULATOR

Which of the following statements about the effect of surface area and volume on the cell’s processes is false?

● A. The rate at which materials enter or leave the cell depends on the surface area.

● B. A small cell will be able to take in sufficient materials by diffusion.

● C. The rate at which materials are used and produced depends on the surface area.

● D. A large spherical cell will not be able to excrete waste products at a sufficient rate by diffusion.

Difficulty: EASY
C

Explanation‾Explanation:
Choice A - The surface area of a cell affects the rate of diffusion of materials in and out of the cell.

Choice B - A small cell will have a bigger surface area to volume ratio which means that diffusion will be easier and other cell
processes will become faster.

Choice C - The volume of the cell affects the rate at which materials are produced.

Choice D - A larger spherical cell will have a low surface area to volume ratio. Therefore, the comparatively large volume of
cytoplasm may produce waste products at a rate too high to rely on diffusion through the comparatively small surface area of the
cell membrane.

Question 5
CALCULATOR

A patient receives a bone marrow transplant from a 36 year old. One of the functions of these cells is to produce red and white
blood cells. What type of stem cells has the patient received?

● A. Pluripotent stem cells

● B. Totipotent stem cells

● C. Differentiated stem cells

● D. Multipotent stem cells

Difficulty: EASY
D

Explanation‾Explanation:
Choice D is correct because multipotent stem cells can produce only cells of a particular tissue or organ. Choice A is incorrect
because pluripotent stem cells are usually found in early embryos and are capable of differentiating to become any cell type found
in the organism except for extra-embryonic tissues such as the placenta. Additionally, they are not found in bone marrow. Choice B
is incorrect because totipotent stem cells are only found in early stages of embryonic development and can produce all cell types of
the organism as well as extra-embryonic tissues such as the placenta. Choice C is incorrect because stem cells are by definition,
undifferentiated.

Question 6
CALCULATOR

[Maximum mark: 5]

Below are diagrams of specialised cells (not to scale).

[© Revision village 2022 created with BioRender.com]

1. Put these cells in order of size, from the smallest to the largest. [1]

2. Compare and contrast totipotent, pluripotent and multipotent stem cells. [4]

Difficulty: EASY
Question 7
CALCULATOR

[Maximum mark: 16]

1. Describe how the use of stem cells may be used to treat type I diabetes in the future. [4]

2. Explain the factors that limit cell size in humans. [4]

3. Explain how red blood cells and striated muscle fibres are adapted to their function. [7]

Difficulty: MEDIUM
Question 8
CALCULATOR

Which of the following is a reason that embryonic stem cells are not used in the treatment of leukaemia?

● A. They have limited differentiation potential.

● B. It is difficult to control which cell type they differentiate into.

● C. They are difficult to obtain.

 ● D. They have a higher chance of accumulated mutations.

Difficulty: MEDIUM
B

Explanation‾Explanation:
Choice A is incorrect as embryonic stem cells have a high differentiation potential. Choice C is incorrect, as embryonic stem cells
are easy to obtain. Choice D is incorrect, as embryonic stem cells have a lower chance of accumulated mutations compared to
other types of stem cells.

Question 9
CALCULATOR

The dimensions of a theoretical cube are doubled. By what factor would its volume increase?

● A. 2

● B. 4

● C. 6

● D. 8

Difficulty: MEDIUM
Question 10
CALCULATOR

The table shows the diameters of red blood cells from different organisms. Which red blood cell will have the highest surface area
to volume ratio?

Organism Diameter of red blood cell/µm)

A. Human 7.7

B. Bird 12.6

C. Fish 13.6

D. Frog 23.3

[Source: Adapted from Elson, J. A. (2014, December 24). File: Newbloodm.jpg. Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved March 5, 2023,
from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File: Newbloodm.jpg Copyright under CC BY 3.0]
Difficulty: MEDIUM
A

Explanation‾Explanation:
The cell with the smallest diameter is the smallest cell, and therefore will have the highest surface area to volume ratio. Choice A is
correct.

Birds, fish and frogs have red blood cells with a larger diameter than humans. Choices B, C and D are incorrect.

Question 11
CALCULATOR

Which statements about embryonic stem cells and specialised cells is/are not true?

I. Embryonic stem cells have higher levels of DNA methylation than differentiated cells
 II. Specialised cells are more differentiated than embryonic stem cells

III. Most specialised cells and embryonic stem cells both contain the entire genome of an organism

● A. I only

● B. I and II

● C. II and III

● D. I, II and III

Difficulty: MEDIUM
A

Explanation‾Explanation:
Statement I is not true because embryonic stem cells have relatively low levels of DNA methylation, which allows for greater
plasticity and potential for differentiation into various cell types. In contrast, differentiated cells often have higher levels of DNA
methylation, which contributes to their stable and specialized gene expression patterns. Choice A is correct.

Statement II is true, as specialised cells are more differentiated than embryonic stem cells as they are adapted to particular
functions. Statement III is true, as the genome of an organism is the complete set of genes in an organism, and most cells in an
organism contain the same set of genetic information. Choices B, C and D are incorrect.

Question 12
CALCULATOR

In humans, which of the following is the correct order from smallest to largest?

● A. Male gamete → female gamete → red blood cell → striated muscle cell

● B. Red blood cells → white blood cells → female gamete → striated muscle cell

● C. White blood cells → red blood cells → female gamete → striated muscle cell

● D. Male gamete → red blood cell → striated muscle cell → white blood cell

Difficulty: HARD
B

Explanation‾Explanation:
Choice B is correct because it is the correct order of cells from smallest to largest with red blood cells being the smallest. Choice
A is incorrect because red blood cells are smaller than female gametes. Choice C is incorrect because red blood cells are smaller
than white blood cells. Choice D is incorrect because white blood cells are smaller than striated muscle cells.

Question 13
CALCULATOR

Which row in the following table gives the correct disadvantages of the different stem cell sources for therapeutic uses?

Embryonic stem cells Cord blood stem cells Adult stem cells

A. Can differentiate into a large Low risk of rejection by patient Removal of cells damages the
range of cell types organism the cells are extracted from

B. Higher risk of developing Limited capacity to differentiate Can be difficult to obtain

 tumours into different cell types

C. Limited capacity to differentiate Can be difficult to obtain High risk of being rejected by patient
into different cell types

D. Removal of cells destroys the High risk of being rejected by Limited capacity to differentiate into
embryo patient different cell types

Difficulty: HARD
B

Explanation‾Explanation:
Choice A is incorrect as although embryonic stem cells can differentiate into a large range of cell types, this is an advantage rather
than a disadvantage of using them for therapeutic uses and removing adult stem cells, such as blood cell types from bone marrow,
does not damage the organism that they are extracted from. Choice C is incorrect as embryonic stem cells do not have a limited
capacity to differentiate, cord blood stem cells are not difficult to obtain and adult stem cells have a very low risk of being rejected
by the patient. Choice D is incorrect, as there is a low risk of cord blood cells being rejected by the patient.