IB Biology Human Body Systems Exam Study Guide

Topics to Know

Digestion:

  • Annotated diagram of digestive system
  • Diagram of small intestines muscular layers
  • Function of each organ
  • Enzymes secreted by pancreas and their function
  • Role of villi and transport
  • Identifying layers in small intestine cross section
  • Where each type of macromolecule is digested (organ and enzyme)

Blood System

  • Arteries, veins, capillaries structure (diagram) and function
  • Control of heart beat (SA node, NA node, medulla, epinephrine)
  • Flow of blood through heart
  • Heart anatomy
  • Blood pressure changes as heart beats
  • Coronary Diseases

Immunity

  • Skin and mucous membranes function
  • Blood clotting factors and steps
  • Non-specific response (macrophages)
  • How phagocytosis works
  • Antibiotic resistance
  • Viruses vs. bacteria (treatment, immunity response, etc.)
  • Florey and Chain’s experiment *(did not cover-google it )
  • HIV progression and effect on immune system

Respiratory

  • Gas exchange in alveoli
  • Type 1 and type 2 pneumocytes
  • Inspiration and expiration muscle contraction
  • Volume and pressure relationship during inspiration and expiration
  • Function of surfactant
  • Factors affecting ventilation/analyzing ventilation data
  • Diagram alveoli and draw gas exchange occurring

Nervous

  • Basic structure of neuron
  • Depolarization, repolarization, resting potential
  • Role of Na+/K+ pump and voltage gated channels
  • Role of myelin sheath
  • Events that occur at a synapse
  • Cholinergic synapses* (did not cover-google it )
  • Analyzing graphs of membrane potential over time

Hormones

  • Know: thyroxin, insulin, glucagon, melatonin, estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, leptin
  • Role of leptin in appetite
  • Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes
  • Hormonal regulation of menstrual cycle
  • Use of IVF drugs and role of hormones
  • Jet lag and melatonin

Advice:

For each of the topics above, be prepared to either do the skill (i.e. draw the diagram) or write a full paragraph of detail about it. For each topic, I would create my own ‘study’ guide that writes details, definitions, shows pictures or graphs for each bullet point above. Then, I would make flashcards with each topic until I memorized it all!

Email me with questions- study hard and you will do great!