Cell Types

Question 1

This cell has an elongated shape, like the cable-like fibers that it secretes. It has an abundant rough ER and a large Golgi apparatus to make and secrete the protein building blocks of these fibers.

Hint: Cells that connect the body parts.

Answer 1

Fibroblast

Question 2

This cell carries oxygen in the blood. Its biconcave disc shape provides extra surface area for the
uptake of oxygen and streamlines the cell so it flows easily through the bloodstream.

Answer 2

Erythrocyte
(red blood cell)

Question 3

The hexagonal shape of this cell is exactly like a “cell” in a honeycomb of a beehive. This cell has abundant intermediate filaments and desmosomes that resist tearing when the epithelium is rubbed or pulled.

Hint: Cell that covers the body

Answer 3

Epithelial Cells

Question 4

These cells are elongated and filled with abundant contractile filaments, so they can shorten forcefully and move the bones, pump blood, or change the size of internal
organs to move substances around the body.

Answer 4

Skeletal, cardiac, and smooth muscle cells.

Question 5

Its huge spherical shape is produced by a large lipid droplet in its cytoplasm.

Hint: Cells that store energy

Answer 5

Fat cell

Question 6

This cell extends long pseudopods (“false feet”) to crawl through tissue to reach infection sites. The many lysosomes within the cell digest the infectious microorganisms that it “eats.”

Answer 6

Macrophage
(white blood cells)

Question 7

This cell has long processes (extensions) for receiving messages and transmitting them to other structures in the body.

Answer 7

Nerve cells

Question 8

The largest cell in the body, this egg cell contains several copies of all organelles, for distribution to the daughter cells that arise when the fertilized egg divides to become an embryo.

Answer 8

Oocyte

Question 9

This cell is long and streamlined, built for swimming to the egg for fertilization.

Answer 9

Sperm