1.

What adaptations have you noticed that red blood cells

possess?
Red blood cells are adapted for the transport of oxygen. They
are small and flexible so they can fit through narrow vessels,
have a bi-concave shape which maximizes their surface area
to absorb oxygen, have a thin membrane so gases easily
diffuse through, and contain hemoglobin which binds to
oxygen.
2. What cells can you name that have a large surface area
relative to their size?
Bacterial cells are fairly small and have a comparatively larger
surface-area-to-volume ratio. Eukaryotic cells, such as those in
plants and animals, are much larger, but have additional
structures to help them conduct the required amount of
transport across membranes.
3. What do ciliated cell use their cilia for?
These cilia then play a role in mediating specific signaling cues,
including soluble factors in the external cell environment, a
secretory role in which a soluble protein is released to have an
effect downstream of the fluid flow and mediation of fluid flow
if the cilia are motile.
4. Why do root hair cells not have chloroplasts?
Root hairs are seen to not have chloroplasts as their job is to
collect water and nutrients. They do NOT carry out
photosynthesis. Like mitochondria, chloroplasts have their own
DNA. Scientists also think chloroplasts are descended from a
kind of bacteria, called cyanobacteria.
5. How is a palisade cell different for a root hair cell? Explain
these differences
- Root hairs consist of long and thin an extension which helps in
the process of absorption due to large surface area. - In
palisade cell it transports water to the plants and supports the
plant. - In palisade cell, the walls of this cell are tightened by
the lignin which is a waterproof substance.
6. Why are different kinds of cell?
Each type of cells is specialized to carry out a particular
function, either solely, but usually by forming a particular
tissue. Different tissues then combine and form specific organs,
where the organ is like a factory where every type of cell has its
own job.
7. If the red cells had a nucleus, how would this affect the
oxygen supply to the other body cells?

Other vertebrates such as fish, reptiles and birds have red cells
that contain nuclei that are inactive. Losing the nucleus enables
the red blood cell to contain more oxygen-carrying hemoglobin,
thus enabling more oxygen to be transported in the blood and
boosting our metabolism.
8. Smoking damages cilia lining the breathing tubes. What
effect this might have on breathing?
The mucus is normally swept out of the lungs by the cilia on the
epithelial cells lining the trachea, bronchi and bronchioles.
However, cigarette smoke contains harmful chemicals that
paralyse these cilia, leading to a build-up of mucus and a
smoker’s cough. Smoke irritates the bronchi, causing bronchitis.