AQA · GCSE · Biology
Course version: 8461 · Version from Sept 2018
Cells may be specialised to carry out a particular function: • sperm…
Full specification wording
Cell specialisation: Cells may be specialised to carry out a particular function: • sperm cells, nerve cells and muscle cells in animals • root hair cells, xylem and phloem cells in plants.
This statement lists the specialised cells you need to know.
Checked against the AQA 8461 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 2 of 2
- 3 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
This statement lists the specialised cells you need to know. In animals, a sperm cell has a tail, many mitochondria and an acrosome to reach and penetrate an egg; a nerve cell is long with branched endings and a myelin sheath to carry electrical impulses quickly between distant parts of the body; a muscle cell contains protein filaments that slide to shorten the cell, producing movement. In plants, a root hair cell has a long thin extension to increase surface area for absorbing water and mineral ions; xylem cells are hollow tubes with lignified walls that transport water and minerals upward and provide support; phloem cells have sieve plates and companion cells that transport dissolved sugars around the plant. For each cell, link structure to function.
What earns the marks
- Describes the tail and many mitochondria of a sperm cell and links these to swimming and energy release for fertilisation.
- Explains that a nerve cell is elongated with branched connections and a myelin sheath, enabling rapid impulse transmission.
- States that muscle cells contain filaments that can shorten, allowing contraction and movement.
- Describes the long root hair extension as increasing surface area for water and mineral ion uptake.
- Explains that xylem cells are hollow and lignified for water transport and support, while phloem cells have sieve plates and companion cells for sugar transport.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Saying root hair cells absorb food.
Put it right: They absorb water and mineral ions, while food is made by photosynthesis in leaf cells.
Confusing xylem and phloem functions.
Put it right: Xylem transports water and minerals while phloem transports dissolved sugars.
Stating that nerve cells carry blood or nutrients.
Put it right: They carry electrical impulses.
Exam tips
- Learn one clear structure–function link for each named cell and practise writing it in a single sentence.
- Use comparative language when asked to distinguish cells, for example 'xylem is dead and hollow, whereas phloem contains living sieve cells'.
- If a diagram is given, label the visible adaptation first, then explain its advantage in the space provided.
Try the lesson
The start of the Cell specialisation: Cells may be specialised to carry out a particular function: • sperm cells, nerve cells and muscle cells in animals • root hair cells, xylem and phloem cells in plants. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
Which of the following is a specialised plant cell that transports water and dissolved mineral ions from the roots to the leaves?
Listen
This statement lists the specialised cells you need to know. In animals, a sperm cell has a tail, many mitochondria and an acrosome to reach and penetrate an egg; a nerve cell is long with branched endings and a myelin sheath to carry electrical impulses quickly between distant parts of the body; a muscle cell contains protein filaments that slide to shorten the cell, producing movement. In plants, a root hair cell has a long thin extension to increase surface area for absorbing water and mineral ions; xylem cells are hollow tubes with lignified walls that transport water and minerals upward and provide support; phloem cells have sieve plates and companion cells that transport dissolved sugars around the plant. For each cell, link structure to function. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Describes the tail and many mitochondria of a sperm cell and links these to swimming and energy release for fertilisation. Explains that a nerve cell is elongated with branched connections and a myelin sheath, enabling rapid impulse transmission. States that muscle cells contain filaments that can shorten, allowing contraction and movement. Describes the long root hair extension as increasing surface area for water and mineral ion uptake. A common slip: Saying root hair cells absorb food. Instead, they absorb water and mineral ions, while food is made by photosynthesis in leaf cells. Exam tip: Learn one clear structure–function link for each named cell and practise writing it in a single sentence.
See it
Key words
Say what each word means before you turn the card.
Specialised animal cells
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Specialised plant cells
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Structure and function
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See every definition
- Specialised animal cells
- Cells in animals that may be specialised to carry out a particular function, such as sperm cells, nerve cells and muscle cells.
- Specialised plant cells
- Cells in plants that may be specialised to carry out a particular function, such as root hair cells, xylem and phloem cells.
- Structure and function
- For each cell, the link between its structure and the function it carries out.
Label the diagram
Some boxes have lost their names. Pick the right name for each number.
1Box 1
2Box 2
3Box 3
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