Key term
CCEA A-Level Life and Health Sciences 0008
Experimental Techniques
Human Body Systems
Topic overviewBlood vessels, the heart and cardiac outputHeart sounds, ECG traces, pulse and blood pressureBody fluids, haemoglobin and the Bohr effectThe respiratory system, gas exchange and lung diseaseMonitoring breathing and lung volumesCellular respiration and ATPHomeostasis, blood glucose and thyroxineSodium, blood pH and oxygen saturationA balanced diet and nutritional needs through lifeCholesterol, minerals, vitamins, alcohol and exercise
Physical Chemistry in Industrial Processes
Topic overviewMoles, reacting masses and percentage yieldTitration types, indicators and standard solutionsTitration calculations and molarityEnthalpy changes and calorimetryHess's law and average bond enthalpiesCollision theory, rates and the Maxwell–Boltzmann distributionCatalysts, chemisorption and catalytic convertersReversible reactions, the Haber process and the Contact processScale-up, costs and siting a chemical plant
Brain ScienceDouble Award
Topic overviewBrain structure and frontal lobe damageNeurones, synapses and the endocrine systemAlzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease and stem cell therapySchizophrenia and mental health awareness in Northern IrelandThe biology of aggression and methods of studying the brainStress, the stress response and stress managementMemory models, forgetting and eyewitness testimonyAbnormality, phobias, depression and OCDExperiments, observations, self-report and research designHypotheses, sampling, ethics and descriptive statistics
Material ScienceDouble Award
Topic overviewMaterial properties and selectionStress, strain and the Young modulusStress–strain graphs, creep and fatigueDensity, hardness and conductivity testingMetals, ceramics, glasses, polymers and compositesAtomic and microscopic structure of materialsAlloys, annealing and biomaterialsSmart materialsNanomaterials and semiconductors
Medicine, Drugs and Clinical TrialsDouble Award
Topic overviewCategories of medicine and routes to drug discoveryMedicines from natural sources, drug names and the ATC systemDrug development, preclinical testing and the therapeutic indexPhases of clinical trials and trial designLicensing, UK regulators, Yellow Card and trial ethicsFormulations, routes of administration and drug absorptionDistribution, metabolism, elimination and sites of drug actionQuantitative analysis of medicines and antibacterial bioassays
Scientific Method, Investigation, Analysis and Evaluation
Topic overviewThe scientific method, literature reviews and Harvard referencingDescriptive statistics and the normal distributionNull hypotheses, significance and choosing a statistical testInvestigation design, Design of Experiments and project plansGood Laboratory Practice, risk assessment and COSHHExperimental error, scientific writing and evaluation
Organic Chemistry
Topic overviewOrganic formulae, homologous series and functional groupsIUPAC naming and types of organic reactionStructural isomerism and E/Z isomerismAlkanes from crude oil, combustion and halogenationVehicle pollutants, catalytic converters and biofuelsAlkenes, pi bonds and electrophilic additionClassifying alcohols, making ethanol and its effects as a drugOxidation of alcohols, IR spectroscopy and mass spectrometryAddition polymers, plastic waste and nylonPreparing and purifying aspirin
Medical PhysicsA2 option
Topic overviewBody temperature and clinical thermometersBlood pressure readings and the sphygmomanometerHeart activity experiments and EEG tracesX-ray tubes, radiographs and CT scansFlexible endoscopes, optical fibres and lasersUltrasound A-scans, B-scans and acoustic impedanceMRI scanning and gamma camera imagingAlpha, beta and gamma radiation and half-lifeRadiopharmaceuticals, radiotherapy and radiation protection
Sound and LightA2 option
Topic overviewTransverse and longitudinal waves and wave graphsPhase difference and the electromagnetic spectrumOuter, middle and inner earSound intensity and the decibel scaleStanding waves, harmonics and resonance tubesHearing response, phons and equal loudness curvesStructure of the eye, rods and conesAccommodation, lens power and correcting long sightTotal internal reflection and fibre-optic communicationDipole antennas, wireless networks and radarAttenuation of radio waves and the Doppler effect
Genetics, Stem Cell Research and CloningA2 option
Topic overviewDNA structure and the evidence for the double helixRNA, genes and the triplet codeGenotype, phenotype and monohybrid inheritanceDihybrid crosses, epistasis and the chi-squared testDNA replication and the Meselson–Stahl experimentMeiosis and genetic variationInsulin, factor VIII and chymosin from genetically modified microbesRecombinant DNA technology and gene cloningGenetic engineering, food supply and ethicsGene therapy and cystic fibrosisGenetic disease, screening and counsellingGenetic fingerprinting and gel electrophoresisStem cells, therapeutic cloning and their ethics
MicrobiologyDouble Award
Topic overviewBacteria, fungi and protozoaViruses, viroids and prionsClassifying bacteria, fungi and virusesLight and electron microscopyLaboratory safety, biocontainment and quality assuranceAseptic technique, growth media and inoculationCounting and measuring microbial growthGrowth requirements and growth inhibitionAntibiotics, PCR, gene therapy and pharmaceutical microbiologyThe gut microbiome in health and disease
Oral Health and DentistryDouble Award
Histology and PathologyDouble Award
Topic overviewSpecimen processing, data protection and safety lawClinical biochemistry tests and electrophoresisBlood smears and identifying blood cellsBlood grouping, cross-matching and transfusionDiagnostic and surveillance work in hospital microbiologyPreparing and staining tissue sectionsRecognising tissues, atheroma and emphysema on slides
Analytical Chemistry TechniquesDouble Award
Topic overviewVolumetric analysis in industry and healthcareApplied titrations of vinegar, indigestion tablets and bleachRedox titration of iron tablets and evaluating titrationsPrinciples of colorimetryColorimetric analysis of copper ore, aspirin and ironThin-layer chromatography and its usesVisualising chromatograms and identifying painkillers and pigmentsCalorimetry and combustionMolar enthalpy and bond energy calculationsQualitative tests for cations and gases
Enabling TechnologyDouble Award
Topic overviewECG and EEG machines in patient monitoringUltrasound and IVF equipment in fertility treatmentProsthetic limbs, hearing aids and cochlear implantsWorkflow and equipment in a medical laboratoryOngoing monitoring of a long-term conditionHealth data collection, databases and data protection
Histology and Pathology
- 7 subtopics
- 21 things to know
- A2 8
- A2 6 to A2 10, Double Award only, two of five
What Histology and Pathology covers
Histology and Pathology is examined in Unit A2 8, Histology and Pathology — internally assessed, one of five Double Award optional units (two are taken). It covers specimen processing, data protection and safety law, clinical biochemistry tests and electrophoresis, blood smears and identifying blood cells, blood grouping, cross-matching and transfusion, diagnostic and surveillance work in hospital microbiology, Preparing and staining tissue sections and Recognising tissues, atheroma and emphysema on slides.
Where it is assessed
A2 8
Histology and Pathology — internally assessed, Double Award, two of five.
Check the CCEA specification ↗The 7 subtopics
Each one has its own page.
- Specimen processing, data protection and safety lawThe pathology departments, request forms, fluoride and EDTA tubes, packaging, reception, rejection and storage of specimens, reporting results, data protection, health and safety duties, COSHH and RIDDOR.Open →
- Clinical biochemistry tests and electrophoresisGlucose by glucose oxidase and urine strips, sodium and potassium and their reference ranges, cholesterol testing, serum protein and haemoglobin electrophoresis, and the biomedical scientist's skills.Open →
- Blood smears and identifying blood cellsHaematology and leukaemia, preparing, fixing and staining blood smears, recognising red cells, neutrophils, eosinophils, lymphocytes, monocytes and platelets, differential counts and the haematocrit.Open →
- Blood grouping, cross-matching and transfusionABO and RhD groups and antibodies, agglutination, forward and reverse grouping, cross-matching and antibody screens, emergency O negative blood, blood components and storage, and anti-D in pregnancy.Open →
- Diagnostic and surveillance work in hospital microbiologySurveillance of infection and resistance, antibiotic assays, Gram stains of sputum, minimum inhibitory concentration with a worked result, dilution plates, ELISA and handling tuberculosis specimens.Open →
- Preparing and staining tissue sectionsHistopathology and biopsies, the Human Tissue Act 2004, fixing tissue in formalin, processing and wax embedding, cutting sections with a worked count, haematoxylin and eosin staining and frozen sections.Open →
- Recognising tissues, atheroma and emphysema on slidesRecognising blood, cardiac, skeletal and smooth muscle, arteries and veins, kidney and liver on slides, size calculations with micrometers, atheroma and its dangers, and emphysema in lung tissue.Open →
What you need to know
Answer each one before you reveal it.
Your recallNot started
Numbers
What did the Data Protection Act 1998 require of pathology laboratories?
Key term
What is the role of the clinical biochemistry department, and which specimens does it test?
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What is the role of the haematology department, and which specimens does it test?
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What determines a person's ABO blood group?
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What is the role of the microbiology department, and which specimens does it test?
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What is the role of the histopathology department?
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Name the four main departments of a hospital pathology service.
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How is glucose measured in a blood sample using glucose oxidase?
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How can haematology tests contribute to diagnosing leukaemia?
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Which antibodies are found in the plasma of each ABO blood group?
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How does the microbiology department monitor infectious disease in hospitals and the community?
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What types of specimen does the histopathology department receive?
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How is blood recognised in a stained tissue section?
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Why must a request form include clinical details and the date and time the specimen was taken?
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How is urine tested for glucose with a reagent strip?
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Describe how a thin blood smear is prepared.
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What is agglutination, and why is it dangerous in a transfusion?
Process
How does the microbiology department support GPs and other primary healthcare workers?
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How does examining a biopsy help to diagnose disease?
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How is cardiac muscle recognised on a slide?
Take Histology and Pathology further
The same content, four other ways.
Commonly confused
Pairs that lose marks when they are blurred together.
Serum vs Plasma
Serum: the fluid left after blood has clotted, lacking clotting factors. Plasma: the fluid part of unclotted blood, still containing clotting factors.
Neutrophil vs Eosinophil
Neutrophil: a phagocytic white blood cell with a nucleus of two to five lobes. Eosinophil: a white blood cell with a two-lobed nucleus and large orange-red granules.
Agglutination vs Coagulation
Agglutination: clumping of red cells when antibodies bind their surface antigens. Coagulation: formation of a fibrin clot through a cascade of clotting factors.
Questions from this topic
Each one with the model answer underneath.
- 1
Name the four main departments of a hospital pathology service.
Model answer
The four main departments are clinical biochemistry, haematology, microbiology and histopathology. Each analyses patient specimens to help doctors diagnose and treat disease.
- 2
Why must a request form include clinical details and the date and time the specimen was taken?
Model answer
Clinical details tell the laboratory which tests matter and help staff interpret the results. Some results, such as glucose and hormone levels, change with time of day or delay before testing.
- 3
Why is blood for a glucose test collected into a tube containing fluoride oxalate?
Model answer
Fluoride stops blood cells using up glucose by glycolysis while the sample waits. Oxalate prevents clotting, so the glucose level stays as it was when taken.
- 4
Why is EDTA suitable as an anticoagulant for blood counts but not for potassium or calcium tests?
Model answer
EDTA binds calcium to stop clotting and preserves the shape of blood cells. The potassium salt of EDTA would falsely raise potassium results and lower calcium results.
- 5
How are specimens packaged for sending to a pathology laboratory?
Model answer
The specimen goes in a sealed, leak-proof container inside a bag with absorbent material, and the form goes in a separate pocket. Specimens sent by post or courier use triple packaging marked UN3373.
- 6
What happens when a specimen arrives at the laboratory reception?
Model answer
Reception staff check that the details on the specimen label match the request form. Each specimen is given a unique laboratory number and sorted to the correct department.
What is inside Levo
Six ways to work the same material.
Histology and Pathology revision questions
- What does Histology and Pathology cover in CCEA A-Level Life and Health Sciences?
- 7 subtopics: specimen processing, data protection and safety law, clinical biochemistry tests and electrophoresis, blood smears and identifying blood cells, blood grouping, cross-matching and transfusion, diagnostic and surveillance work in hospital microbiology, preparing and staining tissue sections and recognising tissues, atheroma and emphysema on slides. Each one has its own page with questions and model answers.
- How is Histology and Pathology organised?
- By the CCEA 0008 specification, subtopic by subtopic, so it matches the order you are taught it in.
Every question in Histology and Pathology, on a schedule.
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