1.1.3 Specialised Cells

Question 1

Sperms function

Answer 1

Fertilisation and contain genetic material for the male parent

Question 2

Sperm adaptations

Answer 2

• Long tail to swim
  -Contain mitochondria to transfer energy needed for the tail
  -Aerosome stores digestive enzymes to break down outer layer off the egg

Question 3

Nerve function

Answer 3

-Carry electric impulses around the body
- Provide a rapid communication system

Question 4

Nerve adaptations

Answer 4

• Dentrites to make connections to other nerve cells
• Axon carries nerve impulses
• Nerve endings are adapted to pass impulses to another cell or between a nerve cell
• Contain lots of mitochondria to provide energy

Question 5

Muscle cell function

Answer 5

They contract and relax in pairs to moves bone so vertebrae can move on land or fly

Question 6

Muscle cell adaptations

Answer 6

-Contain special proteins that slide over each other making fibre contact
- contain mitochondria to transfer energy needed for chemical reactions
- Store glycogen to be used in cellular respiration by mitochondria to transfer energy needed for fibres to contract

Question 7

Red blood cell function

Answer 7

Carry oxygen

Question 8

Red blood cell adaptations

Answer 8

-They have bioconcave to increase surface area to volume ratio
- They contain a red pigment, haemoglobin, that binds to oxygen
- They have no nucleus to make space for oxygen

Question 9

Root hair cell function

Answer 9

Makes it easier for plants to dissolve mineral ions and water

Question 10

Root hair cell adaptations

Answer 10

• Increase surface area for water to move into cell
• Large permanent vacuole to speed up movement of water by osmosis from the soil to root hair cell
• Multiple mitochondria that transfer the energy for active transport of mineral ions

Question 11

Palisade cell function

Answer 11

Carry out photosynthesis

Question 12

Palisade cell adaptations

Answer 12

• Contain chloroplast to trap light needed for photosynthesis
• positioned on the outer layers of leaves and the stem of plants so they absorb as much light as possible
• Large permanent vacuole to help keep the cell rigid as a result of osmosis

Question 13

Xylem cell function

Answer 13

• Carries water and minerals from the root to the highest leaves
• Support the plant

Question 14

Xylem cell function

Answer 14

Spirals and rings in the xylem cells make the cells very strong
- Also, they help them withstand the pressure of water moving up the plant

Question 15

Phloem function

Answer 15

Carries food made by photosynthesis around the body

Question 16

Phloem adaptations

Answer 16

• Supported by companion cells which keep them alive
• Mitochondria transfers energy needed to move dissolved food up nd down the plant
• cell walls break down to form seive plates which allows water, carrying dissolved food, to move freely up and down tubes to where it is needed

Question 17

Guard cell function

Answer 17

Used to open and close the stomata

Question 18

Guard cell adaptations

Answer 18

• Arranged in pairs
• The cell wall closest to the stomata is thicker and less flexible
• The cell wall on the outermost edge is thinner and the most flexible