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Speci)lised )nim)l cells

P:rt of Biology Living org)nisms

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Key points
Key points
Speci:lised :nim:l cells h:ve components th:t :llow them to complete :
Video - Wh)t )re specific purpose.
speci)lised )nim)l Speci:lised :nim:l cells include red blood cells, sperm, eggs, nerve cells,
cells?
muscle cells, cili:ted cells, :nd villi.
Red blood cells

Sperm cells

Egg cell

Nerve cells Video - Wh)t )re speci)lised )nim)l cells?

Muscle cells

Video - Underst)nding
muscle cells

Cili)ted cells

Villi

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Test questions

Video Transcript

C:n you :nswer these questions b:sed on the video?

1. Wh)t )re the three m)in components of )nim)l cells?

2. How m)ny )nim)l cells could fit )cross the width of ) full stop?

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Most cells sh:re fe:tures such :s h:ving : nucleus, : cell membr:ne,

cytopl:sm :nd mitochondri:.

E:ch type of cell h:s its own job to do. These cells h:ve speci:l fe:tures th:t
:llow them to perform their functions effectively.

Red blood cells

Red blood cells c:rry oxygen :round the body, which is needed for
respir)tion. They :re well suited to this function bec:use:

They cont:in h)emoglobin , which c:rries oxygen molecules.

They don't h:ve : nucleus, :llowing more sp:ce to c:rry oxygen.

They :re : fl:t disc sh:pe with dips on both sides (biconc:ve). This gives
them : l:rge surf:ce :re:, :nd the best ch:nce of :bsorbing :s much
oxygen :s they c:n in the lungs.

Sperm cells
Sperm :re the m:le sex cell. They :re m:de in the testes :Ner puberty . They
join with :n egg cell during fertilis)tion to form :n embryo which c:n then
develop into : new life. The following fe:tures m:ke them well suited to this
function:

A t:il moves them tow:rds :n egg cell.

M:ny mitochondri) rele:se energy for movement.

P:rt of the tip of the he:d of the sperm, c:lled the :crosome, rele:ses
enzymes to digest the egg membr:ne to :llow fertilis:tion to t:ke pl:ce.

The h)ploid nucleus cont:ins the genetic m:teri:l for fertilis:tion.

Sperm :re produced in l:rge numbers to incre:se the ch:nce of

fertilis:tion.

Egg cell
Eggs :re the fem:le sex cell. They :re m:de in the ov:ries before birth.
Usu:lly, one egg is rele:sed e:ch month during the menstru:l cycle, but
sometimes this number m:y be higher. They join with : sperm cell during
fertilis:tion to form :n embryo which c:n then develop into : new life. They
:re well suited to this function bec:use:

The egg cell’s cytopl:sm cont:ins nutrients for the growth of the e:rly
embryo.
The h:ploid nucleus cont:ins genetic m:teri:l for fertilis:tion.

The cell membr)ne ch:nges :Ner fertilis:tion by : single sperm so th:t no

more sperm c:n enter.

Nerve cells
Nerve cells tr:nsmit electric:l sign:ls in the nervous system . They :re well
suited to their function bec:use:

They :re thin, :nd c:n be more th:n one metre long in your spin:l cord.
This me:ns they c:n c:rry mess:ges up :nd down the body over l:rge
dist:nces very quickly.
Nerve cells h:ve br:nched connections :t e:ch end. These join to other
nerve cells, :llowing them to p:ss mess:ges :round the body.
They h:ve : f:tty (myelin) she:th th:t surrounds them. The f:tty she:th
incre:ses the speed :t which the mess:ge c:n tr:vel.

Muscle cells
Muscles cells :re found in bundles which m:ke up our muscles. These cells
:re :ble to contr:ct (get shorter) :nd rel:x (return to origin:l length). There
:re different types of muscle cell, e:ch perfectly :d:pted to its function:

C:rdi:c (he:rt) muscle cells contr:ct :nd rel:x to pump blood :round our
bodies for our entire lives. They never get tired.
Smooth muscle cells m:ke up thin sheets of muscle, such :s the stom:ch
lining. They c:n :lso be :rr:nged in bundles, or rings, like th:t in the :nus.
Skelet:l muscle is joined to bones. Its cells contr:ct to m:ke bones move
:nd joints bend.

Video - Underst)nding muscle cells

Find out how : sports ther:pist uses his knowledge of speci:lised cells to help his clients

Video Transcript

Cili)ted cells
Cili:ted cells :re found in the
:irw:ys. They h:ve tiny h:irs
on their tops c:lled cili)
which be:t in : rhythm.
These h:irs move mucus
cont:ining dust :nd other
p:rticles upw:rds :nd out of
the :irw:ys. Cili:ted cells :re
:lso found in the oviducts .
Here the tiny h:irs be:t to
move the egg from the ov:ries to the uterus .

Villi
Villi :re structures :bout one
millimetre long in the sm)ll
:nd l)rge intestines .
Millions of them poke out to
:bsorb digested food :nd
w:ter into the blood. They
:re well suited to this
function bec:use:

They h:ve : l:rge surf:ce

:re:.
They h:ve thin w:lls which
:re only one cell thick.
The cells of the lining h:ve tiny h:irs to :bsorb more food :nd w:ter.

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Test questions

Wh)t )re the )d)pt)tions of red blood cells?

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Wh)t )re the )d)pt)tions of nerve cells?

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Atomic L)bs g)me

Try out pr:ctic:l experiments in this KS3 science g:me

Living org)nisms
Build on your knowledge with these guides.

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Speci)lised )nim)l Speci)lised pl)nt cells The four components

Anim)l )nd pl)nt cells
cells of the blood

1 of 15 2 of 15 3 of 15 4 of 15

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Speci:lised pl:nt cells

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