Diseases and Leaf Structure
Understanding cardiovascular disease and cancer helps explain major health risks you'll encounter in exams. Cardiovascular disease happens when fatty deposits clog coronary arteries, potentially causing heart attacks - risk factors include smoking, high blood pressure, and poor diet.
Cancer occurs when cells divide uncontrollably, forming benign tumours (harmless lumps) or dangerous malignant tumours (aggressive and spreading). Key risk factors include smoking, poor diet, sun exposure, and unprotected sex.
Leaf structure is perfectly designed for photosynthesis and gas exchange. The upper epidermis protects the leaf, whilst palisade mesophyll contains loads of chloroplasts for photosynthesis. Spongy mesophyll has air spaces for gas exchange, and guard cells control the stomata (tiny pores).
Transpiration (water loss from leaves) increases with bright light, high temperature, and wind, but decreases with high humidity. The xylem transports water whilst phloem carries food around the plant.
Disease Alert: Know your pathogens - viruses (measles, HIV), bacteria (salmonella, gonorrhoea), fungi (rose black spot), and parasites (malaria) all spread differently and cause different symptoms.