Cell Specialisation

Question 1

What’s the function of a red blood cell?

Answer 1

• carries oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body

Question 2

What are some special features of the red blood cell?

Answer 2

• no nucleus: allows them to change, chaos and move throughout your body faster
• small and flexible: can fit into narrow vessels
• thin membrane: gases can easily diffuse through (oxygen)
• contains haemoglobin: transfers oxygen in your blood from lugs to tissues. Facilitates the return transport of CO2

Question 3

What happens if Red blood cells don’t function?

Answer 3

Oxygen is not transported to all parts of the body. No organs can function

Question 4

What is the function of nerve cells?

Answer 4

• carries electrical signals, continuously sending information about the external and internal environment.

Question 5

What are some of the nerve cell’s special features?

Answer 5

• Long axons: carries messages up and down the body over long distances
• Many dendrites: contacts other nerves

Question 6

What happens if nerve cells don’t work?

Answer 6

Complete breakdown of the brain.

Question 7

What is the function of a muscle cell?

Answer 7

• creates a pulling force to stabilise or move parts of the body

Question 8

What are some of the special features of the muscle cell?

Answer 8

• contains many well developed mitochondria: needs respiration to provide energy for muscle contraction
• contains filaments of special protein that slide over each other to cause muscle contraction