Specialised Cells Flashcards
The function of a muscle cell is to….
Contract and cause movement or shape change.
The muscle cell has the following specialisations to enable it to perform its function:
Long and thing so can form layers
Contains many mitochondria to release lots of energy
Contains fibres that can shorten
Muscle cells are found in….
Parts of the body that require movement or changing shape
What is the function of ciliates cells?
To move substances along the surfaces of passages
Ciliates cells have the following specialisations to enable it to perform this function:
Column shaped so can stack together and form a layer
Has tiny hairs called cilia that wave in one direction
Ciliated cells have the following specialisations to enable it to perform this function:
Column-shaped so can stack together to form a layer
Has tiny hairs called cilia that wave in one direction
Where are ciliated cells found?
In passages that have substances that need moving along
Where are ciliated cells found?
In passages that have substances that need moving along
What is the function of root hair cells?
To absorb water and minerals form the soil
Root hair cells have the following specialisations to enable it to perform this function:
Hair-like extensions to provide a large surface area
No chloroplasts as they are not needed
Thin cell wall so that the cell is closer to the soil
Where are root hair cells found?
On the outer surface of roots and plants
What is the function of a Xylem cell?
To transport water and minerals up the plant.
Xylem cells have the following specialisations to enable it to perform this function:
Thick side cell walls for strength
No cytoplasm so that it is hollow
No end cell wall so that it is a continuous tube
Where are Xylem cells found?
Throughout the plant as all plant cells need water
What is the function of red blood cells?
They carry oxygen around the body for respiration
Red blood cells have the following specialisations to enable it to perform this function:
The contain haemoglobin which carries oxygen molecules
They don’t have a nucleus, allowing more space to carry oxygen
They area flat disc shape with dips on both sides (biconcave). This gives them a large surface area and the best chance of absorbing as much oxygen as possible.
Where are red blood cells found?
They are found all around the body where oxygen is needed.
How many types of muscle cells are there and what are they?
3:
Heart muscle (cardiac)
Smooth muscle cells
Skeletal muscle
What is the function of nerve cells?
To transmit electrical signals in the nervous system
Nerve cells have the following specialisations to enable it to perform this function:
They are thin and can be more than one meter long in your spinal cord. This allows them to carry messages up and down the body over large distances very quickly
Nerve cells have branched connections at each end. These join to other nerve cells, allowing them to pass messages
They have a fatty (myelin) sheath that surrounds the. The fatty sheath increases the speed at which the message can travel
Where are the nerve cells found?
They are found al around your body but specifically your brain and spinal cord
What is the function of the heart muscle?
To contract and relax to pump blood around our bodies
What is the function of smooth muscle cells?
To make up thin sheets of muscle, such as the stomach lining.
What is the function of skeletal muscles?
To contract and make bones move and joints bend
