Differentiation and Specialisation

• differentiation

  a process where a cell changes to become specialised for its job
• specialised cells

  • sperm cell
  • nerve cell
  • muscle cell
  • root hair cell
  • red blood cell
• sperm cell

  • get male DNA to female DNA
  • long tail & streamlined head to help it swim
  • enzymes to digest through egg cell membrane
• nerve cell

  • carry electrical signals
  • long branched connections to cover more distance and connect to other nerve cells
• muscle cell

  • contraction
  • long to have space for contraction and lots of mitochondria for energy
• root hair cell

  • absorb water/mineral ions from soil
  • longs hairs and large surface area to absorb more
• red blood cell

  • transport oxygen around the body
  • haemoglobin to bind to oxygen and biconcave shape to maximise surface area
• mitosis

  1. chromosomes replicate parent cell
  2. chromosomes line up in centre of cell and pulled apart by spindle fibres
  3. cell splits producing 2 new identical daughter cells