specialised cells

• sperm cell

  • acrosome contains enzyme to break into egg; tail to swim; many mitochondria to provide energy to swim
• nerve cell

  • long to transmit electrical impulses over a distance
• muscle cell

  • contain protein fibres that can contract when energy is available, making the cells shorter
• root hair cell

  • long extension to increase surface area for water and mineral uptake; thin cell wall
• xylem cell

  • waterproofed cell wall; cells are hollow to allow water to move through
• phloem cell

  • some cells have lots of mitochondria for active transport; some cells have very little cytoplasm for sugars to move through easily