specialised cells & differentiation

• What are specialized cells?

  Cells that perform specific functions
• How many types of specialized cells are there in humans?

  Approximately 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
• Why does a sperm cell have half the genetic material of a normal adult cell?

  To combine with the egg's genetic material
• What adaptation helps sperm cells swim to the egg?

  The flagellum acts like a tail
• Why are mitochondria important for sperm cells?

  They provide energy for swimming
• What do sperm cells have at the front to aid fertilization?

  Digestive enzymes to penetrate the egg
• What are the general characteristics of specialized cells?

  • Specific roles in the body
  • Unique shapes and structures
  • Different organelle compositions
• What is differentiation?

  The process by which cells become specialized
• What is a zygote?

  A fertilized egg cell
• What happens to the zygote after fertilization?

  It divides by mitosis into multiple cells
• What occurs during the early stages of cell division?

  All cells are identical and unspecialized
• What is the significance of stem cells?

  They can differentiate into specialized cells