Genbio

Red blood cell

Function: Transports oxygen. Key Features: No nucleus, biconcave, hemoglobin.

White blood cell

Function: Immune defense. Key Features: Varied shapes, nucleus, flexible.

Neuron (nerve cell)

Function: Sends electrical signals. Key Features: Long axon, dendrites, myelin sheath.

Muscle cell

Function: Contracts for movement. Key Features: Contains actin/myosin, many mitochondria.

Red blood cell

Function: Transports oxygen. Key Features: No nucleus, biconcave, hemoglobin.

White blood cell

Function: Immune defense. Key Features: Varied shapes, nucleus, flexible.

Neuron (nerve cell)

Function: Sends electrical signals. Key Features: Long axon, dendrites, myelin sheath.

Muscle cell

Function: Contracts for movement. Key Features: Contains actin/myosin, many mitochondria.

Epithelial cell

Function: Protective lining. Key Features: Tightly packed, may have cilia/microvilli.

Sperm cell

Function: Male gamete, fertilizes egg. Key Features: Tail (flagellum), acrosome with enzymes.

Egg cell (ovum)

Function: Female gamete, embryo nourishment. Key Features: Large, nutrient-rich cytoplasm.

Fat cell (adipocyte)

Function: Stores energy as fat. Key Features: Large lipid droplet, few organelles.

Parenchyma cell

Function: Photosynthesis, storage, healing. Key Features: Thin walls, often with chloroplasts.

Collenchyma cell

Function: Flexible support. Key Features: Unevenly thick walls.

Sclerenchyma cell

Function: Rigid support. Key Features: Thick, lignified walls, dead at maturity.

Xylem vessel

Function: Water & mineral transport. Key Features: Hollow, lignified, dead.

Phloem sieve tube

Function: Sugar transport. Key Features: Living, no nucleus, with companion cells.

Guard cell

Function: Controls stomata opening. Key Features: Kidney-shaped, controls gas/water exchange.

Root hair cell

Function: Absorbs water/nutrients from soil. Key Features: Long extension increases surface area.

Pollen cell

Function: Male gamete in plants. Key Features: Tough wall, adapted for dispersal.

Function: Seals cells, prevents leakage. Structure: Claudins, occludins link membranes.

Tight junction

Function: Seals cells, prevents leakage. Structure: Claudins, occludins link membranes.

Adherens junction

Function: Strong adhesion, links to actin. Structure: Cadherins connect to actin cytoskeleton.

Desmosome

Function: Spot weld for strength. Structure: Cadherins link to keratin (intermediate filaments).

Gap junction

Function: Cell-to-cell communication. Structure: Connexons form protein channels between cells.

Plasmodesmata

Function: Intercellular transport & communication. Structure: Channels through cell walls with desmotubules.