Biology key terms

A treatment that uses a machine to remove waste substances and excess water from a person's blood when their kidneys cannot do so sufficiently.

A condition in which the kidneys cannot remove enough urea or regulate water and ion levels effectively.

Organs that filter the blood and regulate water loss by varying how much water is returned to the blood and how much leaves in urine.

An operation in which a healthy kidney from a donor is placed in a person whose kidneys have failed.

A drawing that identifies the important parts of an apparatus set-up with clear labels.

A clear, accurate record of an observed specimen, drawn using scientific conventions and with relevant structures labelled.

A substance formed by the incomplete oxidation of glucose during anaerobic respiration in muscle cells.

A site where waste is deposited and usually buried.

Tuberculosis present in the body without symptoms; it cannot be spread to others, although it may later become active.

A test in which a liquid sample moves along a strip and produces a visible result when a target substance is detected.

The washing of soluble mineral ions out of soil by water.

A protective, wax-containing layer covering the outer surface of a leaf's epidermal cells.

The controlled separation and loss of a plant part, such as a leaf.

A transparent, flexible structure that refracts light and changes shape to focus it on the retina.

A patch of damaged tissue; in Chalara ash dieback, lesions form in the bark.

Luteinising hormone, released by the pituitary gland; a surge in its concentration triggers ovulation.

A hormone that triggers ovulation, the release of an egg from an ovary.

A behaviour or choice, such as smoking, alcohol consumption, diet or level of exercise, that can affect health.

The amount of light energy reaching a given area in a given time.

A laboratory instrument that uses visible light and lenses to produce a magnified image of a small specimen.

A strong substance deposited in xylem walls that strengthens the tubes and helps prevent them from collapsing.

A condition that restricts the rate of a process because it is in insufficient supply or is at an unsuitable level.

A line or smooth curve that represents the overall pattern of plotted results rather than joining every point in turn.

A digestive enzyme that breaks down lipids into fatty acids and glycerol.

A molecule formed from glycerol and fatty acids; fats and oils are lipids.

The idea that only a substrate with a complementary shape can fit an enzyme's active site, like a particular key fitting a lock.

A model in which a substrate fits an enzyme’s complementary active site like a key fitting a lock.