IGCSE Biology
2026 - 2028
Syllabus Checklist
Topic 9: Transport in Animals
1 Circulatory Systems
Describe the circulatory system
as a system of blood vessels with a pump
and valves
to ensure one-way flow of blood.
State that blood is pumped away from the heart in arteries
and returns in veins
.
State that the activity of the heart may be monitored by ECG
, pulse rate
, or listening to valve sounds
.
Investigate and describe the effect of physical activity
on heart rate
.
Describe coronary heart disease
in terms of blockage of coronary arteries and state risk factors: diet
, lack of exercise, stress
, smoking
, genetics, age, sex.
Discuss the roles of diet
and exercise
in reducing risk of coronary heart disease.
2 Heart
Identify in diagrams the structures of the mammalian heart
: muscular wall, septum
, ventricles, atria, valves, and coronary arteries
.
Describe the single circulation
of a fish.
Describe the double circulation
of a mammal and explain its advantages
.
Identify in diagrams the atrioventricular
and semilunar valves
.
Explain the relative thickness of: ▪ Left vs right ventricles
▪ Atria vs ventricles
.
Explain the importance of the septum
in separating oxygenated and deoxygenated blood.
Describe the functioning of the heart: contraction of atria and ventricles, and the action of valves.
Explain the effect of physical activity
on the heart rate
.
3 Blood Vessels
Describe the structure of arteries
, veins
, and capillaries
in terms of wall thickness, lumen diameter, and valves in veins.
State the functions of capillaries
.
Identify the main blood vessels: ▪ Heart – vena cava
, aorta
, pulmonary artery
, pulmonary vein
. ▪ Lungs – pulmonary artery and vein. ▪ Kidney – renal artery
and renal vein
.
Explain how artery and vein structure relates to blood pressure
.
Explain how capillary structure
suits its functions.
Identify in diagrams the main vessels of the liver
: hepatic artery, hepatic veins, and hepatic portal vein.
4 Blood
List the components of blood
: red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets
, and plasma
.
Identify red
and white blood cells
in diagrams or photomicrographs.
State the functions of: ▪ Red cells – transport oxygen (via haemoglobin
) ▪ White cells – phagocytosis & antibody production ▪ Platelets – clotting
▪ Plasma – transport of cells, ions, nutrients, urea, hormones, CO₂.
State the roles of blood clotting
in preventing blood loss and pathogen entry.
Identify lymphocytes
and phagocytes
in diagrams and state their functions: ▪ Lymphocytes – produce antibodies ▪ Phagocytes – engulf pathogens ( phagocytosis
).
Describe clotting
as the conversion of fibrinogen
→ fibrin
forming a mesh.
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