VCE Biology Question Thread

[BakedDwarf]

I always get this mixed up...would someone be so kind as to explain the difference between glucose, glucagon and glycogen? Thanks!

Glucose is a monosaccharide used for aerobic cellular respiration.

Glycogen is a polysaccharide that is used by animals to store carbohydrates (glucose).

Glucagon is a hormone that increases blood glucose concentration by promoting the breakdown of glycogen to glucose.

[sunshine98]

I always get this mixed up...would someone be so kind as to explain the difference between glucose, glucagon and glycogen? Thanks!

Glucose (monosaccharide) forms the polysaccharide glycogen. Glucagon is a hormone that initiates the breakdown of glycogen into glucose.
edit: beaten by BakedDwarf

[geminii]

Glucose is a monosaccharide used for aerobic cellular respiration.

Glycogen is a polysaccharide that is used by animals to store carbohydrates (glucose).

Glucagon is a hormone that increases blood glucose concentration by promoting the breakdown of glycogen to glucose.

Glucose (monosaccharide) forms the polysaccharide glycogen. Glucagon is a hormone that initiates the breakdown of glycogen into glucose.
edit: beaten by BakedDwarf

Thanks so much, this helps heaps!

[TheAspiringDoc]

As a memory device, I remember that glucagon is like "where's the gluca gone?

Also, with alpha and beta cells, remember that alpha cells produce glucagon because before there is need for insulin, glucose needs to be present (which is produced by alpha cells as alpha is first in the alphabet )

[geminii]

As a memory device, I remember that glucagon is like "where's the gluca gone?

Awesome, thanks!

Also, with alpha and beta cells, remember that alpha cells produce glucagon because before there is need for insulin, glucose needs to be present (which is produced by alpha cells as alpha is first in the alphabet )

So alpha cells produce glucagon, and they also produce glucose?

[Sine]

Alpha cells produce glucagon---->glucagon stimulates the breaks down glycogen in the liver and muscles into glucose which is released into the blood stream.

Beta cells produce insulin---->insulin induces the take up of glucose into liver cells and muscle cells which are built up into glycogen to store.

To remember this I always used IB (international baccalaureate) the thing other than vce. (Insulin-Beta cells)

Just to clarify none of this knowledge is required for your 3/4 biology exam but are very common examples and is good to know about to better understand these signalling molecules e.g hormones. In the exam they would explain the role of a particular signalling molecule before you would have to describe things such as signal transduction or facilitated diffusion.

EDIT: thanks Biology24123

[Biology24123]

Alpha cells produce glucagon---->glucagon breaks down glycogen in the liver and muscles into glucose which is released into the blood stream.

Beta cells produce insulin---->insulin induces the take up of glucose into liver cells and muscle cells which are built up into glycogen to store.

To remember this I always used IB (international baccalaureate) the thing other than vce. (Insulin-Beta cells)

Just to clarify none of this knowledge is required for your 3/4 biology exam but are very common examples and is good to know about to better understand these signalling molecules e.g hormones. In the exam they would explain the role of a particular signalling molecule before you would have to describe things such as signal transduction or facilitated diffusion.

Glucagon is the a hormone that stimulates it though

[TheAspiringDoc]

Awesome, thanks!

So alpha cells produce glucagon, and they also produce glucose?

my bad 

I'll try and be a bit more accurate in the future sorry.

Also, can someone explain to me how one should convey information on the written response section of the VCE bio exam?

[geminii]

Alpha cells produce glucagon---->glucagon stimulates the breaks down glycogen in the liver and muscles into glucose which is released into the blood stream.

Beta cells produce insulin---->insulin induces the take up of glucose into liver cells and muscle cells which are built up into glycogen to store.

To remember this I always used IB (international baccalaureate) the thing other than vce. (Insulin-Beta cells)

Just to clarify none of this knowledge is required for your 3/4 biology exam but are very common examples and is good to know about to better understand these signalling molecules e.g hormones. In the exam they would explain the role of a particular signalling molecule before you would have to describe things such as signal transduction or facilitated diffusion.

EDIT: thanks Biology24123

I see, thanks!

my bad 

I'll try and be a bit more accurate in the future sorry.

Also, can someone explain to me how one should convey information on the written response section of the VCE bio exam?

No worries

[TheAspiringDoc]

"the cells of most eukaryotic and many prokaryotic organisms can carry out aerobic respiration" -Campbell's Bio.

Seriously?! How do prokaryotes perform aerobic respiration? I thought they didn't ave mitochondria and hence can't..

[pi]

The mitochondrial function is taken over by the cell membrane and the cytoplasm.

[Biology24123]

"the cells of most eukaryotic and many prokaryotic organisms can carry out aerobic respiration" -Campbell's Bio.

Seriously?! How do prokaryotes perform aerobic respiration? I thought they didn't ave mitochondria and hence can't..

Not all stages of respiration happen in the mitochondria

[TheAspiringDoc]

The mitochondrial function is taken over by the cell membrane and the cytoplasm.

ah.

Surely it wouldn't be as efficient though yeah? Like it's missing all the crazy surface area provided by the cristae and probably heaps of other things too.

Not all stages of respiration happen in the mitochondria

No, glycolysis doesn't, but I'm talking about the Krebs cycle and the electron transport chain

[Butterflygirl]

Notes say: "Relenza: A drug designed to bind to neuramidase on the surface of influenza virus preventing the release of virions and stopping the replication and spread of the virus."

Is it supposed to say neuraminidase?

You know so much about bio, have u done vce bio already?

[geminii]

Surely it wouldn't be as efficient though yeah? Like it's missing all the crazy surface area provided by the cristae and probably heaps of other things too.

By no means do I know for sure, but I'd assume so for the same reason you gave - lack of surface area.

The mitochondrial function is taken over by the cell membrane and the cytoplasm.

How would cellular respiration occur in the cytoplasm and cell membrane? Especially the cytoplasm. Is there a different process to how it occurs in mitochondria in eukaryotic cells? Just having a hard time imagining how cellular respiration could occur in a fluid substance.

And also, in regards to transcription and translation, is it true that the mRNA part occurs in the nucleus, and then the mRNA leaves the nucleolus and enters the nucleus where the rRNA read it and also where the tRNA are found?
Or does the mRNA part occur simply in the nucleus but not in the nucleolus, and the translation part occurs outside the nucleus completely and instead somewhere in the cell?
Thanks.