Life Science – Division of Labour

What is division of labour ?

 the breakdown of workload into smaller and more specific tasks for maximum efficiency

Division of labour in cells :

 within each cell, there are many special structures or organelles

 each organelle is specially designed to carry out a specific job
 in a green plant cell, the nucleus is responsible for controlling normal cell activities
 chloroplasts in green plant cells allow the cells to carry out photosynthesis to make food for growth
and survival

Division of labour in multicellular organisms

 made up of different types of cells performing different functions

 have different shapes, sizes, and structures, designed to perform specific tasks
 allows the organism to function efficiently as a whole

The red blood cells in blood contain the red pigment called

 haemoglobin
 combines with oxygen, which is transported around the body
How is cell structure related to cell function ?

Red blood cell

Cell structure Adaptation to function

Contains haemoglobin  haemoglobin transports oxygen from the lungs to all parts of
the body

No nucleus  carry more haemoglobin which leads to increased transport

of oxygen

Circular biconcave shape  increased surface area to volume ratio of the cell
 increased transport of oxygen

In the human body :

 nerve cells
 have specialized extensions called nerve fibres
- help to transmit nerve signals to and from the central nervous system
 structure of nerve cells
- extremely elongated ( long ) cells
- many branches at both ends to connect to other nerve cells
- the long axis ( main branch ) is covered in fat to prevent the electrical impulses affecting the
surrounding parts of your body
 function of nerve cells
- to carry nerve impulses around your body
In plants :

 root hair cells

 found on the surface of roots
 long, which increases their surface area
- helps the plant to better absorb water and mineral salts from the soil
  guard cells
 on leaf surfaces
- controls gaseous exchange between the leaf and the atmosphere
 stomata
 singular = stoma
 pores in a leaf, mostly on the undersurface
 each pore is surrounded by a pair of guard cells
- change shape to open or close the stoma
Forming a multicellular organism ( human ) :

 a human body is made up of different organs

 the heart, liver, and stomach
 each organ has several sets of tissues working together
 allow it to function
 these organs work together and make the five main organ systems in our body
 the digestive system
 the circulatory system
 the respiratory system
 the skeletal system
 the muscular system
A human body :

 different types of cells have specialized functions

 heart muscle cells
- a single heart muscle cell contracts rhythmically
 cells of the same kind that perform the same job are grouped together to form a tissue
 some tissues have more than one type of cell
- called as complex tissues
 heart muscle tissue
- formed by heart muscle cells
- contracts and relaxes rhythmically at a steady rate
 an organ is formed by several tissues working together
 to perform a specialized function
 heart
- an organ formed by muscle tissue, blood vessels, nerve tissue, connective tissue
- pumps oxygen-rich blood to all the cells in the body
 organs with related roles coordinate to function efficiently
 work together for a specialized purpose to form an organ system
 cardiovascular system
- the heart, arteries and veins work together
- transport blood to all parts of the body
 the different organ systems work together
 make up the entire body of an organism
 all the systems work together to enable the body to function properly
Forming a multicellular organism ( plant ) :

 have organ systems

 main organ systems
- shoot system
 consists of the part of the plant above the ground
 organs are the leaves, stems, buds, and flowers
- root system
 consists of the parts of the plant below the ground
 such as the main roots and branched roots
A plant :

 guard cells
 allow gaseous exchange to take place
 epidermal tissue ( epidermis )
 made up of many closely packed cells including the guard cells
 helps to reduce water loss
 enables gaseous exchange and the absorption of water and nutrients
 leaf
 an organ
- where food substances are formed
 epidermal tissue forms the outermost layer of the leaf
 a plant
 shoot system
- includes the organs
 leaves
 stems
 buds
 flowers of flowering plants
 the shoot and root systems work together
- help the plant grow and function