New
New
Year 10
Edexcel
Foundation

Animal cells: common structures and specialised cells

You can identify common structures of animal cells and describe how some specialised cells in animals are adapted for the jobs the cells do.

New
New
Year 10
Edexcel
Foundation

Animal cells: common structures and specialised cells

You can identify common structures of animal cells and describe how some specialised cells in animals are adapted for the jobs the cells do.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The animal cell model describes the common structures of animal cells.
  2. These structures include the cytoplasm, cell membrane, nucleus and mitochondria. Each structure has a specific function.
  3. Specialised cells in animals have shapes, sizes and structures that are adapted for the jobs the cells do.
  4. Examples of specialised animal cells include blood cells and nerve cells.

Common misconception

All animal cells are the same as the model animal cell. Energy is created during respiration.

The model animal cell simplifies the complex structure of animal cells. There are specialised animal cells that have different shapes and sub-cellular structures to help them carry out a specific function. Energy is transferred through respiration.

Keywords

  • Cytoplasm - A jelly-like substance containing dissolved nutrients and salts where many chemical reactions happen.

  • Cell membrane - A partially permeable structure that surrounds the cell; it controls the movement of substances into and out of the cell.

  • Nucleus - A sub-cellular structure that contains genetic material, which controls cellular activities.

  • DNA - A molecule found in the nucleus of cells and contains the genetic code for making proteins.

  • Mitochondria - Sub-cellular structures that contain the enzymes for respiration, and is where most energy is released in respiration.

If students cannot remember the subcellular structures, consider labelling the sub-cellular structures in Task A before learning about the function. Consider using an analogy for describing what structure and function are; different types of car and their structures.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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6 Questions

Q1.
What does this picture show?
An image in a quiz
plant leaf
blood vessel
Correct answer: animal cell
DNA
Q2.
Which of the following is not a sub-cellular structure?
nucleus
cell membrane
mitochondria
Correct answer: organ
Q3.
Name the gas that is transported around the body inside the red blood cells?
Correct Answer: oxygen, O2
Q4.
What is the name of the genetic material found inside the nucleus?
cytoplasm
Correct answer: DNA
ribosomes
mitochondria
Q5.
Which cellular process takes place inside the mitochondria?
photosynthesis
protein synthesis
Correct answer: aerobic respiration
fertilisation
Q6.
Which structure is labelled below?
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: ribosome
nucleus
cell membrane
mitochondrion
chloroplast

6 Questions

Q1.
What is this specialised cell?
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: egg , egg cell, ovum
Q2.
Match the sub-cellular structure to their function.
Correct Answer:cytoplasm,jelly-like liquid where many chemical reactions take place

jelly-like liquid where many chemical reactions take place

Correct Answer:ribosomes,where protein synthesis takes place

where protein synthesis takes place

Correct Answer:mitochondrion,where aerobic respiration takes place to release energy

where aerobic respiration takes place to release energy

Correct Answer:cell membrane,semi-permeable; controls what enters and exits the cell

semi-permeable; controls what enters and exits the cell

Correct Answer:nucleus,controls cell activities; contains DNA

controls cell activities; contains DNA

Q3.
Which of the following are true for a ciliated cell?
they have a biconcave shape
Correct answer: they have tiny hair-like structures called cilia
their job is to transmit electrical impulses
Correct answer: their job is to sweep mucus up and out of the airways
Q4.
Which are adaptions of a nerve cell?
biconcave shape to speed up nerve impulses
Correct answer: dendrites to help connect nerve cells
Correct answer: long and thin axon to transmit nerve impulses
half the amount of DNA (haploid)
Q5.
Match each specialised cell to their correct features.
Correct Answer:egg cell,cytoplasm contains nutrients, half the amount of DNA

cytoplasm contains nutrients, half the amount of DNA

Correct Answer:sperm cell,tail to help it swim, half the amount of DNA, acrosome in head

tail to help it swim, half the amount of DNA, acrosome in head

Correct Answer:red blood cell,biconcave shape, no nucleus

biconcave shape, no nucleus

Correct Answer:muscle cell,filaments of protein, lots of mitochondria

filaments of protein, lots of mitochondria

Q6.
Which of the following are true?
Correct answer: the axon of nerve cells have a myelin sheath to transmit impulses faster
egg cells have an acrosome to break down the sperm cell membrane
ciliated cells have dendrites to sweep mucus up and out of the lungs
Correct answer: red blood cells have a biconcave shape to increase their surface area