Specialised cells

• What is differentiation?

  The process where cells become specialised
• What can specialised cells vary in?

  • Size
  • Shape
  • Organelles (egg cell, sperm cell, epithelial lining cell)
• Are stem cells differentiated or undifferentiated cells?

  Undifferentiated cells
• What adaptations does a sperm cell have as a specialised cell?

  • A tail
  • Lots of mitochondria arranged in a spiral around the top of the tail
  • An acrosome
  • Contains a haploid nucleus
  • A streamlined shape
• What does the tail in a sperm cell do?

  waves from side to side, allows the cell to swim
• What does the mitochondria arranged in a spiral around the top of the tail of a sperm cell do?

  Releases lots of energy to power the tail
• What does the acrosome of a sperm cell do?

  A vacuole, it contains enzymes that breaks down substances in the egg cells jelly coat
• What does a streamlined shape of a sperm cell do?

  Increases speed
• What does the haploid nucleus of a sperm cell do?

  Contains 23 chromosomes, makes 46 when it fertilises with the egg cell
• What are the adaptations does an egg cell have as an specialised cell?

  • Contains a haploid nucleus
  • A jelly coat
  • A cytoplasm packed with nutrients
• What does the jelly coat of an egg cell do?

  Protects the cell and hardens after fertilisation
• What does the cytoplasm packed with nutrients of an egg cell do?

  Supplies the fertilised egg with energy and raw materials for the growth and development of the embryo
• What does the haploid nucleus of an egg cell do?

  Contains 23 chromosomes, makes 46 when it fertilises with an sperm cell
• What are adaptations of a ciliated epithelia as a specialised cell?

  • Cilia are covered in cell membrane and contain strands of substance that can contract and cause wavy movements
• What does the cilia covered in cell membrane and contains strands of substances do?

  Can contract and cause wavy movements