#7
Cell differentiation and specialised cells
Paper 1 · Recall
You can…
- define cell differentiation
- explain why specialised cells are adapted for their function
Core idea
- In animals, most differentiation happens early.
- In plants, many cells keep the ability to differentiate throughout life.
Examples to know (high yield)
- Sperm cell (tail, mitochondria)
- Nerve cell (long axon)
- Muscle cell (contracts)
- Root hair cell (large surface area)
- Xylem / phloem (transport)