plumiStem cells and specialisation: Edexcel A‑Level Biology A questions
Every Edexcel A-Level Biology A exam question on Stem cells and specialisation (specification points 3.11–3.13), 2016–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.
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Q3(c)(i)
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Q7(a)(ii)
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Q9(a)(i)
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Q9(a)(ii)
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Q8(d)
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Q6(c)(i)
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Q7(a)
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Q4(b)(i)
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Q4(b)(ii)
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Q2(b)(i)
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Q2(b)(ii)
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Q6(a)
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Q5(b)(i)
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Q8(a)(i)
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Q8(b)(ii)
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Q5(b)(ii)
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Q8(g)
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Q5(b)(ii)
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Q4(b)(i)
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Q4(b)(ii)
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All 40 questions on Stem cells and specialisation, as a list
- June 2025, Paper 1, Q3(c)(i) (1 mark): Which of the following describes stem cells in bone marrow? (1) A differentiated stem cells that produce only red blood cells B pluripotent stem cells that can
- June 2025, Paper 1, Q7(a)(ii) (2 marks): After fertilisation, cell division leads to the formation of a blastocyst. Cells of the blastocyst differentiate to form an embryo. Describe how cells of the bl
- June 2025, Paper 2, Q9(a)(i) (4 marks): Describe how stem cells can be made to differentiate into different specialised cells. (4)
- June 2025, Paper 2, Q9(a)(ii) (2 marks): Explain why the scientists plan to use stem cells from closely-related species. (2)
- June 2025, Paper 3, Q8(d) (3 marks): Tissue samples were collected from different mammals during hibernation. These were analysed to identify which genes were controlling hibernation (paragraphs 10
- June 2024, Paper 2, Q6(c)(i) (3 marks): Describe the differences between pluripotent stem cells and totipotent stem cells. (3)
- June 2024, Paper 2, Q7(a) (2 marks): The diagram shows a section through a typical human retina. State why the retina can be described as a tissue. (2)
- June 2024, AS Paper 2, Q4(b)(i) (2 marks): State what is meant by the term totipotent stem cell. (2)
- June 2024, AS Paper 2, Q4(b)(ii) (4 marks): Explain how totipotent stem cells can give rise to specialised cells. (4)
- June 2023, Paper 2, Q2(b)(i) (2 marks): Describe what is meant by the term operon. (2)
- June 2023, Paper 2, Q2(b)(ii) (3 marks): Describe the effect of lactose on the lac operon. (3)
- June 2023, Paper 3, Q6(a) (3 marks): The black stripes of zebrafish are produced by cells called melanophores. Melanophores produce a black pigment called melanin. Explain how a specialised cell su
- June 2023, AS Paper 2, Q5(b)(i) (4 marks): Explain how differential gene expression allows cells to become specialised. (4)
- June 2023, AS Paper 2, Q8(a)(i) (2 marks): Describe the properties of totipotent stem cells. (2)
- June 2023, AS Paper 2, Q8(b)(ii) (6 marks): In 2019, stem cell transplants were given to 1714 people in the UK. Stem cell transplants require a matching donor to provide the stem cells. Stem cells from um
- June 2022, Paper 2, Q5(b)(ii) (4 marks): Another adaptation to living at high altitude is to have more red blood cells circulating in their blood. Explain how a bone marrow stem cell can give rise to r
- June 2022, Paper 3, Q8(g) (4 marks): Describe how a cell that is ‘a key player in the body’s immune system’ differs from a stem cell (paragraph 14). (4)
- June 2022, AS Paper 2, Q5(b)(ii) (4 marks): Muscle tissue samples and milk from the cattle were tested for the presence of lysostaphin. Deduce why lysostaphin was present in the milk but not in muscle tis
- November 2021, Paper 1, Q4(b)(i) (2 marks): Give the meaning of the term totipotent cell. (2)
- November 2021, Paper 1, Q4(b)(ii) (3 marks): This ball of cells continues to divide to form the embryo. The cells of the embryo become specialised to form tissues and organs. Describe how cells become spec
- November 2021, Paper 1, Q9(c)(ii) (4 marks): Stem cell therapy can be used to treat patients infected with HIV. The bone marrow of these patients can be destroyed using radiotherapy. The patients can then
- November 2021, Paper 2, Q7(b)(ii) (1 mark): One type of joint injury is a torn ligament. This may be treated by adding a piece of tendon to the ligament. This is because after a period of time, the tendon
- November 2021, AS Paper 2, Q6(b)(i) (3 marks): Explain why stem cells from the heart cannot be used to grow cells to repair the cornea. (3)
- November 2021, AS Paper 2, Q6(b)(ii) (4 marks): Explain why chemicals from the eye are needed to produce corneal cells from a suitable source of stem cells. (4)
- November 2021, AS Paper 2, Q6(c) (3 marks): Human embryos are another source of stem cells used in medical therapies. Describe the decisions that society has to make about the use of these embryonic stem
- October 2020, Paper 2, Q4(b) (1 mark): The food store of many seeds is an organ called a cotyledon. An organ can be defined as (1) A a group of cells of one type that has a function B a group of seve
- October 2020, Paper 3, Q7(l) (3 marks): An immune system that interacts adversely with the CNS might be described as ‘flawed’ (paragraph 24). Explain why a bone marrow transplant can be used to replac
- June 2019, Paper 2, Q6(c)(i) (3 marks): Explain how genetically identical cells in zone 3 can differentiate to give rise to different tissues. (3)
- June 2019, Paper 2, Q7(b) (2 marks): Explain why the liver is an organ and not a tissue. (2)
- June 2019, AS Paper 2, Q8(b)(iii) (3 marks): Dystrophin is a protein needed to maintain the structure of muscle cells. In DMD the affected allele prevents the production of this protein, leading to symptom
- June 2019, AS Paper 2, Q8(c) (3 marks): As pluripotent stem cells divide, epigenetic changes are passed on. Explain how epigenetic changes affect the activation of genes in daughter cells. (3)
- June 2018, Paper 1, Q5(a) (3 marks): Analyse the data to explain why exposing pregnant mice to cigarette smoke affects the fertility of their male offspring. (3)
- June 2018, Paper 1, Q5(b)(i) (2 marks): State what is meant by the term stem cell. (2)
- June 2018, Paper 3, Q7(j) (2 marks): The bacteria present in and on the body of a vertebrate ‘can weigh as much as six pounds, and they make up a sort of organ’ (paragraph 40). State two properties
- June 2018, AS Paper 2, Q2(c) (3 marks): Extracellular enzymes are produced by specialised cells. Explain how groups of cells can produce the same enzyme. (3)
- June 2017, Paper 1, Q8(c)(i) (1 mark): Which of the following describes the production of B cells from bone marrow stem cells? (1) A from differentiated cells by meiosis B from differentiated cells b
- June 2017, AS Paper 2, Q7(a)(ii) (4 marks): Describe how mesenchymal stem cells can give rise to different types of cell. (4)
- June 2017, AS Paper 2, Q7(b) (2 marks): The proportion of mesenchymal stem cells to other cells in the bone marrow changes with age. The graph shows the relationship between age and the percentage of
- June 2017, AS Paper 2, Q7(c) (3 marks): Deduce why age affects the time taken to recover from injuries. (3)
- June 2016, AS Paper 2, Q7(c) (4 marks): Some fish produce another anti-freeze protein, called AFP II. The tissues of these fish were tested for the presence of AFP II and the mRNA coding for AFP II. T
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