Question

1. Understanding cell shape Within the context of tissues and organs cells adopt specific shapes or form certain patterns to facilitate their function. The human body contains more than 300 different types of cell, many of which have a unique appearance that is indicative of their function. The sketches below are of neuronal cells, muscle cells, red blood cells, bone cells and fat cells. Decide which sketch is which cell type and then write a small comment suggesting how the shape of the cell aligns to its function.

Answer 1

1)Bone cell - The bone exerts imimportant functions in the body, like locomotion, support and protection of soft tissues, calcium and phosphate storage and harboring of bone marrow. There is a complex communication between bone cells.

2)Neuronal cells - Neuronal cells are specialised cells of the nervous system that transmits signal throughout the body. They have long extensions that extend out from the cell body called dendrites and axons. Dendrites ate extensions of neurons that receive signals and conduct them towards the cell body.

3 Fat cells - It acts as insulating layer, helping to reduce heat loss through the skin. It also has a protective function, providing mechanical protection and support around some of the major organs. Fat cells is also a means of energy storage.

4) Muscle cells - These cells bring parts of the body closer together. They contain protein fibres that can contract when energy is available, making the cells shorter.

5) Red blood cells - Their flexible disc shape helps to increase the surface area to volume ratio of these extremely small cells. This enables oxygen and carbon dioxide to diffuse across the red blood cells plasma membrane more readily.