Cell differentiation and specialisation Flashcards
Cell Biology - Cell structure and division
1
Q
what are Specialised cells?
A
cells that carry out a specific function
2
Q
what is differentiation?
A
the process in which cells change to become specialised
3
Q
what are undifferentiated cells called?
A
stem cells
4
Q
what do sperm cells do?
A
they take the male DNA to the egg
5
Q
how do sperm cells do this?
A
- sperm cells have a tail to help it swim to the egg
- it has a lot of mitochondria, which provides energy
6
Q
what are nerve cells?
A
they carry electrical signals around the body
7
Q
how do nerve cells do this?
A
- they are long, so they can cover more distance in the body
- they have branches at the end to connect other nerve cells
8
Q
what are muscle cells?
A
they contract (shorten)
9
Q
how do muscle cells do this?
A
- they are long so they have space to contract
- lots of mitochondria to provide energy
10
Q
what are root hair cells?
A
they absorb water and minerals
11
Q
how do root hair cells do this?
A
- they grow into long “hairs” that stick out into the soil
- this gives plants a big surface area for absorbing water and mineral ions from the soil
12
Q
what are phloem cells and xylem cells?
A
Phloem cells transport food, xylem transports water
13
Q
how do both cells do this?
A
- they are long and joined end to end to form tubes
- phloem cells have very few subcellular structures
- xylem cells are hollow
- this means there’s lots of space for stuff to flow through them
