cell differentiation and specialisation Flashcards

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1
Q

differentiation

A

the process by which a cell changes to become specialised for its job

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2
Q

as cells change…

A

they develop different subcellular structures and turn into different types of cells.

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3
Q

when does most differentiation occur

A

as the organism develops. in most animals, the ability is lost after they become specialised, in an early stage

most plant cells never loose this ability

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4
Q

stem cells

A

undifferentiated cells

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5
Q

examples of specialised cells

A
  • sperm cells specialised for reproduction
  • nerve cells specialised for rapid signalling
  • muscle cells specialised for contraction
  • root hair cells specialised for water & minerals
  • phloem & xylem cells specialised for transporting
    substances
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6
Q

sperm cell specialisation

A

function = to get male DNA to the female DNA
- long tail & streamlined head for swimming
- lots of mitochondria to provide energy
- enzymes in its head to digest through egg cell
membrane

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7
Q

nerve cell specialisation

A

function = to carry electrical signals around the body
- long cells to cover more distance
- branched connections at the ends to connect to
other nerve cells and from a network across the
body

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8
Q

muscle cell specialisation

A

function = to contract quickly
- long cells so they have space to contract
- lots of mitochondria to generate energy needed for
contraction

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9
Q

root hair cell specialisation

A

function = absorb minerals and water
- big surface area for absorbing
- hairs stick out into soil for a big surface area

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10
Q

phloem & xylem cell specialisation

A

function = transport substances eg. food and water
- cells are long and joined end to end to form tubes
- xylem are hollow in the centre so stuff can flow
through
- phloem have very few subcellular structures so
stuff can flow through

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11
Q
A
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