B2.3 Cell specialisation SL Flashcards
Unspecialised cells
Cells formed immediately following fertilisation
What role do morphogen gradients play in early fertilised cells?
They impact gene expression for embryo development.
How many types of stem cells are there?
Several, each with different capabilities to differentiate.
Stem cell niche
The microenvironment where stem cells live and receive instructions
What can totipotent stem cells differentiate into?
Any type of cell, including placental cells.
What distinguishes pluripotent stem cells?
They can differentiate into all body cells but not a whole organism
What are multipotent stem cells?
They can differentiate into a few closely related cell types.
Define unipotent stem cells
They can only differentiate into their associated cell type
What is the role of bone marrow as a stem cell niche?
It generates all types of blood cells
Describe the stem cell niche in hair follicles
A well-defined area responsible for hair growth cycles
How does cell size relate to function?
Different cell sizes carry out a variety of functions
What does the relationship between cell size and surface area determine?
The rate of material movement across a cell membrane
What is notable about the human egg cell’s size?
It’s one of the largest human cells
How does the size of a sperm cell compare to other cells?
It’s one of the smallest human cells
What is unique about red blood cell size?
They are small and lack a nucleus.
