Specialised animal cells

• What is the red blood cells for ?

  designed to carry oxygen
• What is the special features of the red blood cells ?

  • it has a large surface
  • small diameter
  • no nucleus
  • contains haemogoblin to transport oxygen
• What would happen if there was no red blood cells

  You would have anaemia
• Most animal cells are adapted
• They have adaptations which help them to carry out their particular function
• when they become specialised,scientist call it differentiation
• What the main function of a sperm cell ?

  its to join with an ovum(egg cell ) called fertilisation
• How is the sperm cell adapted ?

  • genetic information in the nucleus (contains ONLY HALF genetic info )
  • a tail to swim to the ovum ( streamlined to make it easier )
  • packed with mitochondria (provides energy for swimming )
  • enzymes to digest their way through the outer layer of the ovum
• What would happen if the sperm cell did not work ?

  you would be infertile
• What is the main function of the nerve cell?

  send electrical impulses around the body
• How is the nerve cell adapted ?

  • axon carries the electrical pulses from one part of the body to another
  • (axon is covered in myelin)which speeds up the transmission of the nerve impulses
  • (end of axon has synapses )which are junctions which allow the impulse to pass from one nerve to another
  • Dendrites increase surface area so other nerve cells connect easily
• What would happen if the nerve cells do not work?

  paralysis death
• What is the main function of muscle cells?

  they can contract (get shorter )
• How has the muscle cell adapted ?

  • contain protein fibres to change their length
  • when contracted the fibres shorten decreasing length of cell
  • packed full with mitochondria,energy for the contraction
  • work together to form muscle tissue
• • Most types of animal cell differentiate at an early stage of development. Mainly to repair and for replacement.
• • Many types of plant cells retain the ability to differentiate throughout life. As a cell differentiates it acquires different sub-cellular structures to enable it to carry out a certain function. It has become a specialised cell.