Question 21M.2.HL.TZ1.1g
| Date | May 2021 | Marks available | [Maximum mark: 2] | Reference code | 21M.2.HL.TZ1.1g |
| Level | HL | Paper | 2 | Time zone | TZ1 |
| Command term | Discuss | Question number | g | Adapted from | N/A |
Discuss one advantage and one disadvantage of using plant tissue to investigate drugs intended to treat cancer in humans.
Advantage:
Disadvantage:
[2]
Advantage:
avoids risks for humans/harm to humans / more ethical (than with human patients/volunteers) ✔
Disadvantage:
differences between plant and human cells so humans may not respond in same way
OR
plants have cell wall/no centrioles/other relevant difference between plant and human cells ✔
Not enough for mpa to say ‘not using humans’.
For mpb there must be either a statement that differences between cells may cause a different response, or a specific example of a cell difference.
Most candidates were able to suggest an advantage of using plant tissue and any reasonable answer was accepted. Fewer gave a disadvantage that was credited. Vague answers such as plants are different from humans were not rewarded with a mark.
