Special Cells for Special Tasks
Where a cell is located and the job it has to
perform, determines its shape and size.
Red Blood Cells
Red Blood Cells (Erythrocyte)
• Function:
• Carries oxygen and removes carbon dioxide
• Form helping function:
• The pinched-in disk shape makes it flexible for
moving through blood vessels.
• The red color comes from hemoglobin, an iron rich
protein to which oxygen binds.
White Blood Cells
White Blood Cells (Leukocytes)
• Function:
• Protects the body against both infectious disease and
foreign invaders
• Form helping function:
• The large size accommodates the nucleus that has
memory for immunity.
• The “spikes” are receptors for recognizing and
binding to foreign invaders.
Neuron
Neurons
• Function:
• Transmits nerve signals to and from the brain.
• Form helping function:
• The long tail-like structure called an axon, is
covered in fat to increase the speed that a nerve
impulse travels.
• The thread-like extensions on the cell body, allow
one cell to communicate with several others.
Smooth Muscle
Skeletal Muscle
Cardiac Muscle
Muscle Cells
Muscle Cells
• Function:
• To produce movement through force and to
maintain posture
• Form helping function:
• The stripes or striations, allow the cells to contract
or shorten.
• The uniform layout allows for smooth motion of the
body.
Osteocyte
Osteocytes (Bone cells)
• Function:
• Forms bone
• Form helping function:
• Because the cells are fixed in bone, they have long stringlike structures that they use to communicate with the
surrounding cells.
• They are laid out in a uniform pattern to provide strength
for the bone.
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Epithelial Cells
Epithelial Cells (Skin)
• Function:
• Protection, filtration, secretion, absorption
• Form helping function:
• Epithelial cells are smooth and flat which help them
bind together to form sheets that cover the body.
Egg and Sperm Cells
Eggs & Sperm
• Function:
• Reproduction
• Form helping function:
• Egg cells, which carry half of the genetic material
needed for a new life, are large to accommodate the
nutrients necessary to support the growth of the new
organism.
• Sperm cells carry the other half of the genetic material
needed for new life and the tail allows them to travel to
the egg.