specialized cells & differentation

• What are specialized cells?

  Cells that have specific roles in the body
• What is the process by which cells become specialized?

  Differentiation
• What types of organisms are made up of specialized cells?

  • Animals (e.g., humans)
  • Plants (e.g., pea plants)
• How many types of specialized cells are there approximately in humans?

  Around 200 types
• Name three examples of specialized cells in animals.

  Sperm cells, muscle cells, nerve cells
• Name three examples of specialized cells in plants.

  Root hair cells, phloem cells, xylem cells
• What is the role of a sperm cell?

  To deliver genetic material to an egg cell for fertilization
• Why does a sperm cell have half as much genetic material as a normal adult cell?

  To combine with the egg's genetic material to form a normal cell's worth
• What adaptation helps a sperm cell swim to the egg?

  The flagellum at the end acts like a tail
• How does the streamlined shape of a sperm cell assist its function?

  It helps the sperm cell swim efficiently
• What is the function of mitochondria in sperm cells?

  To provide energy for swimming
• What do sperm cells have at the front to assist in fertilization?

  Digestive enzymes to break into the egg cell
• What are the general characteristics of specialized cells?

  • Specific roles in the body
  • Unique shapes and structures
  • Different amounts of organelles
• What is differentiation in the context of cell biology?

  The process by which a cell changes to become specialized
• What is the starting point of human life in terms of cell structure?

  A single cell called a zygote
• What happens to the zygote after fertilization?

  It divides by mitosis into two cells, then four cells, and so on
• What is the significance of stem cells in differentiation?

  They can repeatedly divide and differentiate into specialized cells