Animal cell Specialisation

• Specialized animal cells


  Cells that have adaptations which help them to carry out a particular function
• Differentiation


  When cells become specialized
• Sperm cells specialised for reproduction 


  • Long tail to swim to ovum
  • Packed with mitochondria to provide energy for swimming
  • Contain enzymes to digest outer layer of ovum the head is STREAMLINED to make movement more efficient.
  • The head contains ENZYMES that can digest through the membrane of the egg cell.
• Fertilization


  The process where the genetic information of the ovum and sperm combine
• Nerve cells - specialised for sending electrical signals across the body 


  • Long axon to transmit electrical impulses
  • Axon covered in myelin to insulate and speed up transmission
  • Cell body has dendrites(branched connections) to increase surface area for connections
• Muscle cells specialised for contraction 


  • they are long Contain protein fibers that can contract to shorten the cell
  • Packed with mitochondria to provide energy for contraction
• Muscle cells work together to form muscle tissue
• In mature animals, cell division is mainly restricted to repair and replacement. 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.
• Most types of animal cell differentiate at an early stage

  Many types of plant cells retain the abolity to differentiate throughout life