Cells differentiate to become specialized – become specialized for the job
- Develop different subcellular structures to be able to carry out specific functions
- In most animal cells, the ability to differentiate is lost at an early stage, after they become specialized. lots of plant cells don’t lose this ability
- Cells that differentiate in mature animals are mainly used for repairing and replacing cells such as skin or blood cells
- Undifferentiated cells are called stem cells.
Sperm cells: reproduction
- Male DNA to the female DNA
- Long tail and streamlined head to help swim to the egg
- Lots of mitochondria to provide energy
- Enzymes to digest through egg cell membrane
Nerve cells: rapid signalling
- Long and have branched connections
Muscle cells: contraction
- Long (space to contract)
- Lots of mitochondria to generate the energy
Root hair cells: absorbing water and minerals
- Long hairs stick into the soil (large surface area)
Phloem and xylem cells: transporting substances
- Long tubes joined end to end
- Xylem cells are hollow
- Phloem have very few subcellular structures so stuff can flow through them