Quarter

1 Vast Microscopic World of Cells:

Cellular Parts, Modifications,
Transport and Biomolecules
WEEK 3

SPECIALIZ
ED CELLS
Specialized Cells
Cell Specialization
The cells that make
up a multi-cellular
organism are not all
the same.

For example, the cells Skin Kidney

of the skin are not the
same as those that
make up our kidney,
and the cells of a
plant stem are not the
same as the cells of a Stem Leaf
plant leaf.
Cell Specialization
The different cells of
a multi-cellular
organism have very
different jobs to do.

The size and shape of

a cell depends on its Skin Kidney

job or function.
We call this cell
specialization.
The cells are known as
Stem Leaf
specialized cells.
Cell Specialization in Plants
Trees and flowering plants have
Leaves
a system of roots, stems and
leaves, which support a plant
and enables it to make food,
and to transport water and Roots Stem

nutrients.
They require a number
of specialized cells that
are adapted to do this.
Cell Specialization in Plants
Root hair cells are found at,
or near, to the tip of roots.
Cell Nucleus

They protrude into the

soil and have a large
surface area. Root Hair

This feature maximizes the amount of water and

nutrients they can absorb from the soil.
Cell Specialization in Plants
As well as supporting a plant, the stem is important
for the transport of nutrients and water.
This is the vascular system.
Phloem

There are two types of

vascular tissue:
 the Xylem, which
transports water Xylem

 the Phloem, which transports food

Cell Specialization in Plants
The phloem consists of sieve tube member cells
and companion cells.

Sieve tube member

cells carry nutrients, Sieve tube
member
such as sucrose, to Nucleus

the parts of the plant Sieve plate

Companion
that need them. cell

Phloem vascular tissue

Cell Specialization in Plants
The perforated sections in between the cells
(sieve plates), help liquid to move between them.

These cells have

no nucleus, but the Sieve tube
member Nucleus
companion cells do.
Sieve plate
Companion
cell
Scientists believe the
companion cells also Phloem vascular tissue

control the sieve

member tubes.
Cell Specialization in Plants
The cells just below the surface Cross-section through a leaf
Upper side
of a leaf are called palisade of leaf
cells. Palisade cells

They contain lots of chloroplast

organelles, that hold the
chlorophyll needed to make food Under side
via photosynthesis. of leaf

Chloroplast
Cell Specialization in Plants
Palisade cells are Cross-section through a leaf
Upper side
elongated. of leaf
Palisade cells
Chloroplasts can move up or
down the cell, toward or
away from sunlight.

By increasing or Under side

of leaf
decreasing the amount
of sunlight that reaches
the chloroplasts, the cell Chloroplast
is able to control the
rate of photosynthesis.
Cell Specialization in Animals
Examples of specialized cells in animals include:

 male reproductive
cells (sperm) that are
designed to swim to,
and join with, an egg
from a female

 red blood cells that

have a large surface
area to absorb
oxygen, and carry it
around the body
Cell Specialization in Animals
The nucleus of a sperm cell is contained within the
Mature Sperm head, and the layer of cytoplasm between the
nucleus and the cell surface membrane, is very thin.
Tail containing microtubules
Nucleus

Acrosome Cytoplasm
Cell surface Mitochondrion
membrane

At the tip of the head is the acrosome, which is a membrane-bound

compartment containing enzymes, which allows the sperm to break into,
and enter, a female egg.
Cell Specialization in Animals
The tail of the sperm Cross section
Designed contains microtubules,
of nine pairs of
microtubules
for which are responsible for surrounding
central pair
Swimming the swimming
movements of the sperm.

These are Middle piece containing

mitochondria
always
arranged in a
9+2 pattern.

Sperm obtain energy for swimming from the many

mitochondria that are closely packed together.
Cell Specialization in Animals
Red blood cells carry
oxygen around the body
to all of the body’s cells. Top view

They do not contain a nucleus.

They are discs that are

Side view
narrower in the center and
wider around the edges.

This increases the surface area to maximize the

amount of oxygen they can absorb.
Cell Specialization in Animals
Red blood cells contain
a chemical called
Top view
hemoglobin that
holds the oxygen.

Hemoglobin contains iron,

and it is this that makes Side view
the blood cells red.
Cell Specialization in Animals
Nerve Cell
– Long, skinny arms to send messages quickly over
long distances
Cell Specialization in Animals
Ear Cells
– have cilia – tiny hairs on inner ear cells that pick up
vibrations in the air and send signal to brain.
Cell Specialization in Animals
Muscle Cell
– Long, skinny cells that lengthen and shorten to
move muscles
Cell Specialization in Animals
Stem Cells
 Unspecialized cells that divide quickly and do
not have a particular function yet.
Cell Specialization in Animals
Stem Cells
Only stem
cells can
differentiate
into many cell
types.
Cell Specialization in Animals
Where are stem cells?