Download specialized cell

2.9 SPECIALIZED CELLS
You began life as a single fertilized egg cell which underwent mitosis, creating
many daughter cells. After about 10 days some of these cells began to
DIFFERENTIATE – become different from one another. Some became your heart
cells, others your bone, nerve and skin cells to name a few!
So…. all cells start the same and then become altered to suit their role in the body
 this is called cell differentiation
SPECIALIZATION
SPECIALIZED CELL: a cell that has a particular shape/structure to perform or
complete a specific task in the body
The more complex and bigger an organism is the more specialized cells they will
need to stay healthy:
 Amobeba: single celled organism – needs only one cell to perform
all its life functions
 Glass frog: a more complex multicellular organism that needs many
specialized cells to perform all of its life functions
 The human body has more than 200 specialized cells controlled by the brain
 Each type of specialized cell has a particular shape and size, with unique
features that help it do its job
Specialized
Cells
Muscle cells
How Structure Influences Function
 Long and thin structure allows cells to change size
drastically when they contract  movement
 Some have a branching pattern that increases
muscle strength
 High concentration of mitochondria to supply
muscle cells with the energy they need to change
shape
Nerve cells
 Long threadlike branches allow them to send and
(neurons)
receive electrical signals quickly throughout the
body
Red blood cells  Doughnut shaped cells with a large surface area to
carry oxygen
 Smooth edges so they flow easily through blood
vessels
Bone cells
 Store calcium and build new bone
 Provide a framework to support and strengthen the
body
Skin cells
 Thin, flat cells that grow in layers to cover and
protect the body
Fat cells
 Store energy in the form of fat