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Topic 7: Animal coordination, control and homeostasis

4 dot points across 4 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

How is blood glucose controlled, and what goes wrong in diabetes?

Explain the importance of homeostasis, how insulin and glucagon control blood glucose concentration, the causes and control of type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and the correlation between body mass and type 2 diabetes.
A focused answer to Edexcel GCSE Biology 7.9 and 7.13 to 7.17, covering homeostasis, the control of blood glucose by insulin and glucagon, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and BMI and waist-to-hip calculations.
10 min answer →

How do hormones coordinate the body, and how is thyroxine controlled by feedback?

Describe where hormones are produced and how they reach their target organs, explain the role of adrenalin in the fight or flight response, and how thyroxine controls metabolic rate by negative feedback.
A focused answer to Edexcel GCSE Biology 7.1 to 7.3, covering the endocrine glands and how hormones travel to target organs, the role of adrenalin in fight or flight, and the control of thyroxine by negative feedback.
9 min answer →

How do hormones control the menstrual cycle, contraception and fertility treatment?

Describe the stages of the menstrual cycle and the interactions of oestrogen, progesterone, FSH and LH, explain how hormonal and barrier contraception work, and the use of hormones in assisted reproduction.
A focused answer to Edexcel GCSE Biology 7.4 to 7.8, covering the menstrual cycle and the four hormones that control it, hormonal and barrier contraception, and the use of hormones in IVF and clomifene therapy.
10 min answer →

How does the body control its temperature and the water content of the blood?

Explain thermoregulation by the skin including vasoconstriction, vasodilation and shivering, the structure and function of the kidney and nephron, and the role of ADH in osmoregulation.
A focused answer to Edexcel GCSE Biology 7.10B to 7.12B and 7.18B to 7.22B, covering thermoregulation by the skin, the structure and function of the kidney and nephron, the role of ADH in osmoregulation, and treatments for kidney failure.
10 min answer →