Specialised cells - Key Concepts

Question 1

What is an acrosome?

Answer 1

An area at the head of a sperm cell where enzymes are stored to digest its way through the cell membrane of the egg cell

Question 2

What is a flagella?

Answer 2

A tail of a cell which rotates to provide movement
They may be found on bacterial cells or sperm cells

Question 3

Name an animal cell which may have a flagella

Answer 3

Sperm cell

Question 4

What is a ciliated epithelial cell?

Answer 4

Cells which line the surfaces of organs which have cilia for the movement of substances like mucus along them in one direction

Question 5

Give 3 ways an egg cell is specialised for its function

Answer 5

Haploid nucleus
Nutrients in cytoplasm to feed the embryo
Immediately after fertilisation, the membrane changes shape to prevent more sprem getting in so that the offspring have the right amount of DNA

The function is to carry female DNA and to nourish the developing embryo

Question 6

What is the function of an egg cell?

Answer 6

Carry female DNA and to nourish the developing embryo

Question 7

Which process are both egg and sperm cells specialised for?

Answer 7

Sexual reproduction

Question 8

Why is being haploid an important specialisation for gametes?

Answer 8

So the fertilised egg cell and the offspring it develops into has the right number of chromosomes after sperm and egg fuse

Question 9

Give 4 ways a sperm cell is specialised for its function

Answer 9

Acrosome in the head containing enzymes to digest the eggs cell membrane
Lots of mitochondria to provide energy for movement towards egg
Flagella to rotate to propel it towards the egg cell
Haploid nucleus, so if it fertilises an egg cell, the zygote will have the correct number of chromosomes

The function of a sperm cell is to transport male DNA to an egg cell during sexual reproduction

Question 10

What is the function of a ciliated epithelial cell?

Answer 10

To move substances along the surface of a tissue

Question 11

Give an example of where ciliated epithelial cells might be found

Answer 11

Lining of airways (trachea and brochi) to move mucus (a physical barrier for pathogens) away from the lungs and up the throat so it can be swallowed (so the pathogens tapped in this mucus can be killed by the HCl - a chemical barrier - in the stomach)