Learning Goals:
All cells begin alike & differentiate into specialized cells.
Specialized cells have different structures that allow them to perform unique functions.
Groups of cells working together form tissues.
Groups of tissues working together form organs, which work together in systems.
Success Criteria:
I can...
...explain specialized cells & why they are important to an organism.
...explain how cells, tissues, organs and systems are related & provide examples of each.
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Specialized Cells
All cells begin their existence as identical cells called stem cells. Each stem cell has the same DNA and has the potential to become one of many different types of cells (red blood cells or bone cells or heart muscle cells, etc) as it matures.
During this maturation, a series of events, called cell differentiation, occurs to turn the stem call into a specialized cell.
So, specialized cells just have certain portions of the DNA turned on and other portions turned off. This allows these cells to perform a specialized function .
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| Click on this picture to go to a website that shows magnified images of these different types of cells. The text that goes along with each image is quite advanced, so you can ignore it. |
The characteristics of a cell often provides insight into its job in the body. For instance, muscle cells are long and thin, and contain a high concentration of mitochondria. Skin cells are flat and thin, and layered atop each other.
Question of the Day #3: Why do muscle cells have more mitochondria than other types of cells? Explain your reasoning. Send me your answer on Edsby.
