Cell Differentiation & Specialisation

• Specialized cells


  Different types of cells that make up complex organisms like animals and plants
• Examples of specialized cells in animals


  • Sperm cells
  • Muscle cells
  • Nerve cells
• Examples of specialized cells in plants


  • Root hair cells
  • Phloem cells
  • Xylem cells
• Sperm cell


  • Has half the genetic material of a normal adult cell
  • Has a flagellum to swim
  • Is streamlined to swim
  • Has many mitochondria for energy
  • Has digestive enzymes to break into egg
• Specialized cells


  Have a specific role, shape, structure and organelle composition to fulfill that role
• Differentiation


  The process by which a cell changes to become specialized
• Zygote


  The single fertilized egg cell that life starts from
• Cell division and differentiation

  1. Zygote divides by mitosis into 2 cells

  2. 2 cells divide into 4 cells

  3. Cells undergo differentiation to become specialized
• Stem cells


  Cells that can repeatedly divide by mitosis and differentiate into different types of specialized cells