Cell Differentiation and Specialisation Flashcards
what is differentiation?
differentiation is the process by which a cell changes to become specialized for its job.
do animal cells lose the ability to differentiate?
in most animal cells, the ability to differentiate is lost at an early stage, after they become specialized.
do plant cells lose the ability to differentiate?
lots of plant cells never lose this ability.
what are cells that have differentiated in mature animals used for?
the cells that differentiate in mature animals are mainly used for repairing and replacing cells, such as skin or blood cells.
what are undifferentiated cells called?
stem cells.
what are sperm cells specialized for?
reproduction.
what do sperm cells have to help it swim to the egg?
a long tail and a streamlined head?
what does the sperm cell contain to provide the energy needed?
mitochondria which provides the energy.
what does a sperm cell carry in its head to digest through the egg cell membrane?q
it carries enzymes in its head.
what are nerve cells specialized for?
rapid signal.
what is the function of a nerve cell?
the function of a nerve cell is to carry electrical signals from one part of the body to another.
describe the shape of a nerve cell?
these cells are long (to cover more distance) and have branched connections at their ends to connect to other nerve cells and form a network throughout the body.
what are muscle cells specialized for?
contraction.
describe the shape of a muscle cell?
these cells are long (so that they have space to contract).
what do muscle cells contain and why?
muscle cells contain lots of mitochondria to generate the energy needed for contraction.
