Specialised cells, tissues and organs Cambridge IGCSE Biology (9–1) revision
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In plain words
Your body doesn't use one kind of cell for everything. A nerve cell is long and thin to carry messages; a red blood cell is a tiny disc packed with oxygen-carrying protein. Cells with a special shape for a special job are specialised, and they work together in teams.
Three things to know
- Specialised cells are adapted to their job: root hair cells (long extension, big surface area for absorbing water), red blood cells (no nucleus, packed with haemoglobin), sperm cells (a tail to swim), ciliated cells (tiny hairs that sweep mucus along), palisade cells (many chloroplasts).
- Levels of organisation: cells → tissues → organs → organ systems → organism.
- A tissue is a group of similar cells working together. An organ is several tissues working together (the heart, a leaf). An organ system is several organs working together (the digestive system).
Tips and tricks
- Link the feature to the job in one sentence: "a root hair cell has a long extension, which gives a large surface area for absorbing water".
- Smallest to largest: cell, tissue, organ, organ system, organism.
It lands in your notebook with its questions as flashcards.
Specialised cells, tissues and organs: 5 questions and answers
These are the quiz’s questions. Do the quiz first, then come back here for the ones that got you.
What is a tissue?
Muscle tissue, for example, is many muscle cells together.
Which cell has a long extension to absorb water?
The extension gives a large surface area.
Why does a red blood cell have no nucleus?
More haemoglobin means more oxygen carried.
Which is an organ?
It is made of several tissues working together.
What do ciliated cells do?
Their tiny hairs (cilia) beat to move mucus out of the airways.
Quiz
5 questions
Tap an answer and you’ll see straight away whether it’s right, and why.
Worksheet
3 questions, 7 marks. Write your answers on paper, then check them.
Specialised cells, tissues and organs
Cambridge IGCSE Biology (9–1) 0970 · 7 marks · papermunch.org
Name ______________________________ Date ______________
Explain how a root hair cell is adapted for its function.[2]
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It has a long, thin extension that gives it a large surface area, so it can absorb more water and mineral ions.
Explain how a red blood cell is adapted to carry oxygen.[2]
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It contains haemoglobin, which carries oxygen, and has no nucleus, leaving more room for haemoglobin. (Its biconcave shape also gives a large surface area.)
Put these in order of size, starting with the smallest: organ, cell, organ system, tissue.[3]
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Cell, tissue, organ, organ system.
Answers: Specialised cells, tissues and organs
- 1. It has a long, thin extension that gives it a large surface area, so it can absorb more water and mineral ions.
- 2. It contains haemoglobin, which carries oxygen, and has no nucleus, leaving more room for haemoglobin. (Its biconcave shape also gives a large surface area.)
- 3. Cell, tissue, organ, organ system.