Cell Differentiation – Revise

You should have looked at the typical structures of plant and animal cells. The human body is made up of a couple of hundred different types of cells. You will need to give examples of specialised cells (differentiated cells), cells adapted for a specific job.

Below shows just a handful different specialised cells and their basic adaptations.

Sperm Cell

Sperm
  • Long tail for swimming
  • Lots of mitochondria for energy to swim
  • Enzymes in its head for getting into the female cell

Nerve Cell

  • Long connections at each end
  • Can carry electrical signals

Red Blood Cell

RBC
  • No nucleus to increase surface area
  • Concave shape to increase surface area
  • Contains haemoglobin (gives blood its red colour)