cell differentiation

• 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
• Specialized cells

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


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

  1. Cell starts as a zygote

  2. Divides by mitosis into identical cells

  3. Cells then undergo differentiation to become specialized
• Stem cells

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