IGCSE Biology 0610 — Specialised Cells

Vocabulary flashcards covering the definitions, functions, and key structural adaptations of specialised plant and animal cells for IGCSE Biology 0610.

Palisade mesophyll cell

A specialised plant cell found in the leaf, adapted for photosynthesis by absorbing light.

Root hair cell

A specialised plant cell on the root, adapted to absorb water and mineral ions from the soil.

Sperm cell

A specialised male gamete that fertilises the egg cell by delivering a haploid nucleus.

Egg cell (ovum)

A specialised female gamete that fuses with a sperm cell during fertilisation to form a zygote.

Neurone (nerve cell)

A specialised cell that carries and transmits electrical impulses around the body.

Red blood cell (RBC)

A specialised blood cell adapted to transport oxygen from the lungs to body tissues using haemoglobin.

Acrosome

A structure on a sperm cell containing enzymes that digest the egg's outer layers.

Flagellum

The tail-like structure that propels the sperm cell towards the egg.

Axon

The long fiber of a neurone that carries electrical impulses over long distances.

Dendrites

Branched structures of a neurone that form connections with other cells.

Myelin sheath

A structure that insulates the axon of a neurone and increases impulse speed.

Haemoglobin

The oxygen-carrying pigment contained in red blood cells that binds to oxygen.

Haploid nucleus

A nucleus containing one set of chromosomes, found in gametes such as sperm cells and egg cells.

Active transport

An energy-requiring process supported by mitochondria in root hair cells to absorb mineral ions from the soil.