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EnglandBiology

Topic 2: Cells and control

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

How do organisms grow, and what are stem cells used for?

Describe growth in organisms and the use of percentile charts, explain the importance of cell differentiation, describe the function of embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells and meristems, and discuss the benefits and risks of using stem cells in medicine.
A focused answer to Edexcel GCSE Biology 2.5 to 2.9, covering growth by cell division, differentiation and elongation, percentile charts, cell differentiation, embryonic and adult stem cells, meristems, and the benefits and risks of stem cells.
9 min answer →

What happens during the cell cycle and mitosis, and why is it important?

Describe mitosis as part of the cell cycle, including the stages and the production of two genetically identical daughter cells, its importance in growth, repair and asexual reproduction, and cancer as uncontrolled cell division.
A focused answer to Edexcel GCSE Biology 2.1 to 2.4, covering the cell cycle and the stages of mitosis, the production of two genetically identical daughter cells, its role in growth, repair and asexual reproduction, and cancer.
9 min answer →

How is the brain structured and studied, and how does the eye work and fail?

Describe the structures and functions of the brain and how brain function is investigated with CT and PET scanning, the limitations of treating nervous-system damage, and the structure of the eye and its common defects and their correction.
A focused answer to Edexcel GCSE Biology 2.10B to 2.17B, covering the cerebellum, cerebral hemispheres and medulla, CT and PET scans, treatment limitations, the structure and function of the eye, and the correction of eye defects.
10 min answer →

How does the nervous system carry information, and how does a reflex protect the body?

Explain the structure and function of sensory, relay and motor neurones and synapses in the transmission of electrical impulses, and the structure and function of a reflex arc.
A focused answer to Edexcel GCSE Biology 2.13 to 2.14, covering sensory, relay and motor neurones, how synapses transmit signals, and the structure and function of a reflex arc.
9 min answer →