specialisation & differentiation Flashcards
what happens when cells differentiate
they develop new sub-cellular structures that make them specialised, allowing them to carry out certain functions
how are animal cells different to plant cells in their ability to differentiate
most animal cells differentiate early in development and can’t differentiate again.
many plant cells can differentiate whenever they need to
give the function of a sperm cell and three ways it is specialised to do its job
function:
to get DNA into an egg cell
specialisation:
1) tail for swimming
2) lots of mitochondria - for energy to overtake other sperm cells
3) enzymes in head to digest egg cell membrane
give the function of a nerve cell and two ways its specialised to do its job
function: carries messages around the body at high speed
specialisation:
1) fatty sheaths speed up message transport
2) long, so it can carry messages over a distance
give the function of a root hair cell and how it’s specialised to do its job
function: helps plant absorb water and minerals from soil
specialisation:
how do muscle cells create movement ( their function)
by contracting and relaxing
give the two ways muscle cells are specialised to do their job
1) long protein strands that can slide over each other to shorten/lengthen the cell
2) lots of mitochondria to generate energy
what is the function of xylem cells
form tubes that transport water and minerals in plants
how are xylem cells specialised to do their job
they’re dead cells with holes at either end, so water and minerals can just flow through them
what is the function of phloem cells
tubular cells that transport dissolved sugars in a plant
give 2 ways phloem cells specialised to do their job
1) few sub-cellular structures so sugars flow through easily
2) pores in end walls to let sugars through
