cell specialisation
What cell specialisation means in Biology A-Level, as defined for AQA, OCR.
Definitions of cell specialisation
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Reference: OCR
Cells are specialised for different functions, so coordination between distant tissues is required.
Arises because different genes are switched on or off, so only some genes are transcribed.
Topics that use cell specialisation
- Most of a cell’s DNA is not translated (A-level only) (AQA A-Level)
- Communication and homeostasis (OCR A-Level)
Related terms
- cellular differentiation
- differentiation
- epigenetic silencing
- immune rejection and antigens
- induced pluripotency
- Local versus long-distance signalling
- loss of potency
- Negative feedback pathway
Using cell specialisation in the exam
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