BIOLOGY FOR LIFE
  • IB Bio Syllabus
    • Unity and Diversity (A) >
      • A1 molecules >
        • A1.1: Water
        • A1.2: Nucleic Acids
      • A2 Cells >
        • A2.1: Origins of Cells
        • A2.2: Cell Structure
        • A2.3: Viruses
      • A3 Organisms >
        • A3.1: Diversity of Organisms
        • A3.2: Classification and Cladistics
      • A4 Ecosystems >
        • A4.1: Evolution and Speciation
        • A4.2: Conservation of Biodiversity
    • Form and Function (B) >
      • B1 Molecules >
        • B1.1: Carbohydrates and Lipids
        • B1.2: Proteins
      • B2 Cells >
        • B2.1 Membranes and Membrane Transport
        • B2.2 Organelles and Compartmentalization
        • B2.3 Cell Specialization
      • B3 Organisms >
        • B3.1 Gas Exchange
        • B3.2 Transport
        • B3.3 Muscle and Motility
      • B4 Ecosystems >
        • B4.1 Adaptation to Environment
        • B4.2 Ecological Niches
    • Interaction and Interdependence (C) >
      • C1 Molecules >
        • C1.1: Enzymes and Metabolism
        • C1.2: Cell Respiration
        • C1.3: Photosynthesis
      • C2 Cells >
        • C2.1: Chemical Signaling
        • C2.2: Neural Signaling
      • C3 Organisms >
        • C3.1: Integration of Body Systems
        • C3.2: Defense Against Disease
      • C4 Ecosystems >
        • C4.1 Populations and Communities
        • C4.2 Transfers of Energy and Matter
    • Continuity and Change (D) >
      • D1 Molecules >
        • D1.1: DNA Replication
        • D1.2: Protein Synthesis
        • D1.3: Mutation and Gene Editing
      • D2 Cells >
        • D2.1: Cell and Nuclear Division
        • D2.2: Gene Expression
        • D2.3: Water Potential
      • D3 Organisms >
        • D3.1: Reproduction
        • D3.2: Inheritance
        • D3.3: Homeostasis
      • D4 Ecosystems >
        • D4.1: Natural Selection
        • D4.2: Stability and Change
        • D4.3: Climate Change
  • IB Requirements
    • Internal Assessment >
      • Research Design
      • Analysis
      • Conclusion
      • Evaluation
    • External Assessment >
      • Exam Revision
    • Extended Essay
    • Reflective Project
    • Collaborative Sciences Project
    • Learner Profile
  • Skills for Biology
    • Tools >
      • Experimental Techniques >
        • Addressing Safety
        • Measuring Variables >
          • Lab Drawings
          • Measurement Uncertainty
        • Techniques >
          • Microscopy
      • Technology >
        • Graphing with Excel
      • Mathematics >
        • Statistics >
          • Glossary of Statistic Terms and Equations
          • Descriptive Statistics >
            • Skew and the Normal Distribution
            • Outliers
            • Measures of Central Tendancy
            • Measures of Spread
            • Pearson Correlation
          • Inferential Statistics >
            • T-Test
            • ANOVA
            • Kruskal-Wallis
            • X2 Test for Independence
            • X2 Goodness of Fit
        • Graphing >
          • Interpreting Error Bars
    • Inquiry Processes >
      • Exploring & Designing >
        • Research Questions
        • Hypotheses and Predictions
        • Varaibles
        • Sampling
      • Collecting & Processing Data >
        • Data Tables
      • Concluding & Evaluating >
        • Error Analysis
  • SHS Course Info
    • Above & Beyond >
      • Biology Club
      • Pumpkin Carving
      • Scavenger Hunt
      • Science News
      • Wood Duck Project (legacy)
      • Invasive Crayfish Project (legacy)
    • Assessment >
      • Class Grading IB Bio I
      • Class Grading IB Bio II
      • Daily Quizzes (legacy)
      • Lab Practicals (legacy)
    • Class Photos
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    • Bahamas (2009)
    • Trinidad (2010)
    • Trinidad (2011)
    • Ecuador (2012)
    • Trinidad (2013)
    • Peru (2014)
    • Bahamas (2015)
    • Peru (2016)
    • Costa Rica (2017)
    • Costa Rica (2018)
    • Arizona (2022)
    • Florida (2023)
    • Belize (2024)
    • Costa Rica (2025)
  • Summer Ecology Research
  • Teacher Resources

C3.2  Defense Against Disease

Guiding Questions:  
Guiding questions help students view the content of the syllabus through the conceptual lenses of both the themes and the levels of biological organization.
  • How do body systems recognize pathogens and fight infections?
  • What factors influence the incidence of disease in populations?
​
​
Linking Questions:  
Linking questions strengthen students’ understanding by making connections between topics.  The ideal outcome of the linking questions is networked knowledge.
  • How do animals protect themselves from threats? 
  • How can false-positive and false-negative results be avoided in diagnostic tests? 
C3.2.1— Pathogens as the cause of infectious diseases.
  • List three major types of cause of disease.
  • Define “pathogen.”
  • List major pathogen types.​
​C3.2.2— Skin and mucous membranes as a primary defense.
  • Define “primary defense.”
  • Outline the role of skin, sebaceous glands and mucous membranes in the defense against pathogens.
C3.2.3— Sealing of cuts in skin by blood clotting.
  • State two benefits of blood clotting when skin is cut.
  • Outline two roles of platelets in the blood clotting cascade.
  • Describe the blood clotting cascade, including the role of platelets, clotting factors, prothrombin, thrombin, fibrinogen and fibrin.
C3.2.4— Differences between the innate immune system and the adaptive immune system.
  • Distinguish between innate and adaptive immunity, including the types of cells and timing of response to infection.​
​C3.2.5-- Infection control by phagocytes.
  • Outline the function of phagocytic white blood cells in defense against pathogens.
  • Describe the process by which a macrophage destroys a pathogen.​​​
​C3.2.6- Lymphocytes as cells in the adaptive immune system that cooperate to produce antibodies.
  • Outline the structure and function of  lymphocyte cells. 
  • State the location of lymphocytes in the body.
  • Define “specific” in relation to an immune response.
  • Define “antibody.”
  • Outline the role of lymphocytes in producing antibodies to a specific pathogen.
C3.2.7- Antigens as recognition molecules that trigger antibody production.
  • Define antigen.
  • Describe the structure of antigens.
  • Describe the cause and consequence of an antibody binding to an antigen. 
  • Outline the difference between the ABO blood antigens.
  • State the four human ABO blood types.
  • Describe the consequence of mismatched blood transfusions, including agglutination and hemolysis.
​C3.2.8- Activation of B-lymphocytes by helper T-lymphocytes.
  • Describe activation of helper T lymphocytes by a macrophage cell. 
  • Outline the role of the helper T lymphocytes in the activation of B lymphocytes.
  • State that B-cells secrete antibodies only when they have been activated by a helper T-cell. 
C3.2.9- Multiplication of activated B-lymphocytes to form clones of antibody-secreting plasma cells.
  • Describe clonal selection of plasma B cells.
  • State the plasma B-cells produce antibodies only after they have grown and differentiated for protein synthesis.
C3.2.10- Immunity as a consequence of retaining memory cells.
  • Define immunity.
  • Outline the role of memory B cells in maintaining immunity.
  • Compare the primary and secondary immune responses to a specific pathogen in regards to magnitude, speed and duration.
C3.2.11-  Transmission of HIV in body fluids.
  • List mechanisms of HIV transmission. ​
C3.2.12- Infection of lymphocytes by HIV with AIDS as a consequence.
  • Describe the consequences of HIV on the immune system.
  • Outline the relationship between HIV and AIDS.
C3.2.13-  Antibiotics as chemicals that block processes occurring in bacteria but not in eukaryotic cells.
  • Outline the natural function of antibiotics when secreted from saprotrophic fungi. 
  • Outline the function of antibiotics when used in medical treatment. 
  • State why antibiotics fail to control viral infections.
C3.2.14- Evolution of resistance to several antibiotics in strains of pathogenic bacteria.
  • Describe how natural selection leads to the development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria.
  • Discuss the medical cause and consequences of evolution of antibiotic resistance.
C3.2.15- Zoonoses as infectious diseases that can transfer from other species to humans.
  • Outline the major routes of pathogen transmission.
  • Outline the reason why most infectious agents are species specific. 
  • Define zoonosis.
  • List an example of a zoonotic pathogen. 
  • List two reasons that will lead to an increase in appearance of zoonotic diseases in humans.​
C3.2.16- Vaccines and immunization.
  • Define immunization.
  • Outline the different classes of vaccine active ingredients.
  • Explain the principle of vaccination, with reference to the primary and secondary immune response. ​
​​​​C3.2.17- Herd immunity and the prevention of epidemics.
  • Define herd immunity.
  • Explain how herd immunity limits the potential of disease transmission. 
  • Define Ro (pronounced 'R-nought”). 
  • Given an Ro value, estimate the percentage of people in a population who must be immune to reach herd immunity.​
 ​​​​C3.2.18- Evaluation of data related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • State how to express one number as a percentage of a second number. 
  • State how to calculate percentage change.
  • State how to calculate percentage difference.
  • Evaluate data related to the COVID-19 pandemic using percentage change and percentage difference. ​
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Picture
  • IB Bio Syllabus
    • Unity and Diversity (A) >
      • A1 molecules >
        • A1.1: Water
        • A1.2: Nucleic Acids
      • A2 Cells >
        • A2.1: Origins of Cells
        • A2.2: Cell Structure
        • A2.3: Viruses
      • A3 Organisms >
        • A3.1: Diversity of Organisms
        • A3.2: Classification and Cladistics
      • A4 Ecosystems >
        • A4.1: Evolution and Speciation
        • A4.2: Conservation of Biodiversity
    • Form and Function (B) >
      • B1 Molecules >
        • B1.1: Carbohydrates and Lipids
        • B1.2: Proteins
      • B2 Cells >
        • B2.1 Membranes and Membrane Transport
        • B2.2 Organelles and Compartmentalization
        • B2.3 Cell Specialization
      • B3 Organisms >
        • B3.1 Gas Exchange
        • B3.2 Transport
        • B3.3 Muscle and Motility
      • B4 Ecosystems >
        • B4.1 Adaptation to Environment
        • B4.2 Ecological Niches
    • Interaction and Interdependence (C) >
      • C1 Molecules >
        • C1.1: Enzymes and Metabolism
        • C1.2: Cell Respiration
        • C1.3: Photosynthesis
      • C2 Cells >
        • C2.1: Chemical Signaling
        • C2.2: Neural Signaling
      • C3 Organisms >
        • C3.1: Integration of Body Systems
        • C3.2: Defense Against Disease
      • C4 Ecosystems >
        • C4.1 Populations and Communities
        • C4.2 Transfers of Energy and Matter
    • Continuity and Change (D) >
      • D1 Molecules >
        • D1.1: DNA Replication
        • D1.2: Protein Synthesis
        • D1.3: Mutation and Gene Editing
      • D2 Cells >
        • D2.1: Cell and Nuclear Division
        • D2.2: Gene Expression
        • D2.3: Water Potential
      • D3 Organisms >
        • D3.1: Reproduction
        • D3.2: Inheritance
        • D3.3: Homeostasis
      • D4 Ecosystems >
        • D4.1: Natural Selection
        • D4.2: Stability and Change
        • D4.3: Climate Change
  • IB Requirements
    • Internal Assessment >
      • Research Design
      • Analysis
      • Conclusion
      • Evaluation
    • External Assessment >
      • Exam Revision
    • Extended Essay
    • Reflective Project
    • Collaborative Sciences Project
    • Learner Profile
  • Skills for Biology
    • Tools >
      • Experimental Techniques >
        • Addressing Safety
        • Measuring Variables >
          • Lab Drawings
          • Measurement Uncertainty
        • Techniques >
          • Microscopy
      • Technology >
        • Graphing with Excel
      • Mathematics >
        • Statistics >
          • Glossary of Statistic Terms and Equations
          • Descriptive Statistics >
            • Skew and the Normal Distribution
            • Outliers
            • Measures of Central Tendancy
            • Measures of Spread
            • Pearson Correlation
          • Inferential Statistics >
            • T-Test
            • ANOVA
            • Kruskal-Wallis
            • X2 Test for Independence
            • X2 Goodness of Fit
        • Graphing >
          • Interpreting Error Bars
    • Inquiry Processes >
      • Exploring & Designing >
        • Research Questions
        • Hypotheses and Predictions
        • Varaibles
        • Sampling
      • Collecting & Processing Data >
        • Data Tables
      • Concluding & Evaluating >
        • Error Analysis
  • SHS Course Info
    • Above & Beyond >
      • Biology Club
      • Pumpkin Carving
      • Scavenger Hunt
      • Science News
      • Wood Duck Project (legacy)
      • Invasive Crayfish Project (legacy)
    • Assessment >
      • Class Grading IB Bio I
      • Class Grading IB Bio II
      • Daily Quizzes (legacy)
      • Lab Practicals (legacy)
    • Class Photos
    • Recommendations
  • Contact
    • About >
      • Philosophy
      • Resume
      • Reflection
      • Favorite Quotes
      • AEF Blog
  • Expeditions
    • Bahamas (2009)
    • Trinidad (2010)
    • Trinidad (2011)
    • Ecuador (2012)
    • Trinidad (2013)
    • Peru (2014)
    • Bahamas (2015)
    • Peru (2016)
    • Costa Rica (2017)
    • Costa Rica (2018)
    • Arizona (2022)
    • Florida (2023)
    • Belize (2024)
    • Costa Rica (2025)
  • Summer Ecology Research
  • Teacher Resources