Specialised cells in animals and plants
This table gives some examples of specialisedA cell that has become differentiated to carry out a particular function, eg red blood cell. animal and plant cell types and their function.
| Specialised cell type | Animal or plant cell? | Function | Features of cell that allow it to perform its function |
| Beta cell (in pancreas) | Animal | Releases hormone insulin | Uses its genetic instructions to assemble insulin |
| Skeletal muscle cell | Animal | Contracts to allow movement of body parts | Contains long protein filaments that can slide past each other to shorten the cell |
| Neuron (nerve cell) | Animal | Transmits electrical impulses from one part of body to another | Contain membrane proteins that carry out active transport of sodium and potassium ions to help 'recharge' the cell |
| Red blood cell | Animal | Carries oxygen to body tissues that require it | Contains the protein haemoglobin, which binds oxygen. Has no nucleus so there is more space available to carry oxygen |
| Sperm cell | Animal | Transfers genes from male body to female gamete during sexual reproduction | Has a tail to allow it to swim to egg cell and contains many mitochondria to supply ATP for energy. Its head contains enzymes that are released to help it break through the outer membrane of the egg cell |
| Phloem cell | Plant | The building block of the transport system for sugars | Cells have holes in their cell walls at each end to allow sugars to move from one cell to the next |
| Xylem cell | Plant | The building block of the transport system for water and mineral salts | Cells are strengthened with a hard substance called lignin to withstand changes in pressure of water |
| Specialised cell type | Beta cell (in pancreas) |
|---|---|
| Animal or plant cell? | Animal |
| Function | Releases hormone insulin |
| Features of cell that allow it to perform its function | Uses its genetic instructions to assemble insulin |
| Specialised cell type | Skeletal muscle cell |
|---|---|
| Animal or plant cell? | Animal |
| Function | Contracts to allow movement of body parts |
| Features of cell that allow it to perform its function | Contains long protein filaments that can slide past each other to shorten the cell |
| Specialised cell type | Neuron (nerve cell) |
|---|---|
| Animal or plant cell? | Animal |
| Function | Transmits electrical impulses from one part of body to another |
| Features of cell that allow it to perform its function | Contain membrane proteins that carry out active transport of sodium and potassium ions to help 'recharge' the cell |
| Specialised cell type | Red blood cell |
|---|---|
| Animal or plant cell? | Animal |
| Function | Carries oxygen to body tissues that require it |
| Features of cell that allow it to perform its function | Contains the protein haemoglobin, which binds oxygen. Has no nucleus so there is more space available to carry oxygen |
| Specialised cell type | Sperm cell |
|---|---|
| Animal or plant cell? | Animal |
| Function | Transfers genes from male body to female gamete during sexual reproduction |
| Features of cell that allow it to perform its function | Has a tail to allow it to swim to egg cell and contains many mitochondria to supply ATP for energy. Its head contains enzymes that are released to help it break through the outer membrane of the egg cell |
| Specialised cell type | Phloem cell |
|---|---|
| Animal or plant cell? | Plant |
| Function | The building block of the transport system for sugars |
| Features of cell that allow it to perform its function | Cells have holes in their cell walls at each end to allow sugars to move from one cell to the next |
| Specialised cell type | Xylem cell |
|---|---|
| Animal or plant cell? | Plant |
| Function | The building block of the transport system for water and mineral salts |
| Features of cell that allow it to perform its function | Cells are strengthened with a hard substance called lignin to withstand changes in pressure of water |
Cell organisation
In multicellular animals and plants, groups of specialised cells work together to create more complex structures:
- Groups of specialised cells that carry out particular functions are called tissues.
- Organs are body parts that are made of several different types of tissue and carry out one or more particular functions.
- Groups of organs can work together in organ systems such as the circulatory system or the respiratory system.
The order in which cells are organised can be summarised as:
\(\text{cells} \to \text{tissues} \to \text{organs} \to \text{systems}\)