Specialised cells Flashcards
What is the function of a root hair cell?
To collect water/minerals present in soil and take them up through the roots to the rest of the plant using osmosis.
Describe the structure of a root hair cell.
- Hair forming cell on epidermis of a plant root.
- Outgrowths at the tip of a plants roots.
How is a root hair cell specialised? (3 points)
- Thin cell wall to make it easier for minerals to pass through.
- Large surface area to help it absorb water/minerals.
- Don’t carry chloroplasts as they don’t carry put photosynthesis.
How is an egg cell specialised? (3 points)
- Cell membrane that only allows one sperm to fertilise it.
- Large cytoplasm which contains nutrients and mitochondira needed for mitosis.
- Most of egg cell is made up of padding layers to protect the valuable info in nucleus.
Describe the structure of an egg cell (ovum).
- Haploid nucleus containing half the number of chromosomes than normal cell nucleus.
- Cytoplasm (yolk or ooplasm) contains nutrients to frow embryo.
What is the function of a sperm cell?
To fertilise egg, and pass on it’s genetic info.
How is a sperm cell specialised? (4 points)
- Heads are coated in special enzyme that allows the sperm to penetrate unfertilized ova.
- Abundance of mitochondria to prove power/energy.
- Lack ribosomes as they have no need to manufacture proteins.
- Tail of sperm is used as a propeller for sperm to move towards egg.
What is the function of a palisade mesophyll cell?
Responsible for photosynthesis.
Describe the structure of a sperm cell.
- Small ovular head which carries genetic info.
-Flagella.
-Tadpole shape
Describe the structure of a red blood cell.
- Biconcave disc shape.
- No nucleus.
- Flattened discs.
-Depressed centre. - Flexible.
Describe the structure of a palisade mesophyll cell.
- Type of plant cell in mesophyll section of leaf.
- Usually in top layer of leaf to receive most sunlight.
- Palisade mesophyll is layer under epidermis.
- Cylindrical shaped.
How is a palisade mesophyll cell specialised? (5 points)
- Cylindrical shaped to use space more efficiently.
- Larger vacuole to keep cell rigid and provide structure for leaf.
- Few mitochondria as they don’t move.
- Plasma membrane to keep cell rigid/protected.
- Packed with chloroplasts for photosynthesis.
What is the function of a red blood cell?
To deliver oxygen to the bodies tissues via blood flow. They take up oxygen in the lungs and release it into tissues while squeezing through bodies capillaries.
How is a red blood cell specialised? (4 points)
- Biconcave shape so that there is more space for haemoglobin.
-Cytoplasm with larger amount of haemoglobin. - Shape gives larger surface area to pass oxygen through.
- Cell membrane composed of proteins/lipids for deformability and stability.
What do white blood cells do?
Help defend the body against infection/disease.