Specialised cells

• What are specialised cells?

  Cells that are adapted to carry out a specific function.
• What are egg and sperm cells specialised for?

  They are specialised for reproduction.
• What happens in sexual reproduction?

  The nucleus of an egg cell fuses with the nucleus of a sperm cell to create a fertilized egg which develops into an embryo.
• What is a haploid?

  A cell with 23 chromosomes. For example, egg cells and sperm cells have 23 chromosomes each but together 46 chromosomes which makes them diploids.
• What is the main function of the egg cell?


  To carry the female DNA and to nourish the developing embryo in the early stages.
• How are egg cells adapted to their function?

  -contains nutrients in the cytoplasm to feed the embryo.

  -has a haploid nucleus.

  -the jelly coat hardens to stop any more sperm cells from entering after one has entered.
• What is the main function of the sperm cell?

  It transports the male's DNA to the female egg.
• How are sperm cells adapted to its function?

  -has a long flagellum to swim to the egg.

  -has lots of mitochondria in the middle bit to provide energy from respiration.

  -has an acrosome at the front of the head which contains enzymes to digest its way through the membrane of the egg cell.

  -has a haploid nucleus.
• What is the main function of ciliated epithelial cells?

  They are specialised for moving materials along the surface of the tissue. For example, the lining of the airways contain a lot of these cells to move mucus up to the throat so it isn't swallowed in the lungs.
• How are ciliated epithelial cells adapted to their function?

  -have cilia (hair- like structures) on the top surface of the cell.