You are viewing a free preview of this lesson.
Subscribe to unlock all 10 lessons in this course and every other course on LearningBro.
This lesson covers cell differentiation and cell specialisation as required by AQA GCSE Biology specification 4.1.1. You need to understand how unspecialised cells become specialised to carry out particular functions, and be able to describe the structure and function of key specialised cells in animals and plants.
Cell differentiation is the process by which a cell becomes specialised to carry out a particular function. During differentiation, a cell develops specific structural features that allow it to perform its role more efficiently. Most cells in a multicellular organism are differentiated.
All cells in an organism contain the same DNA (the same genes), but during differentiation, specific genes are switched on or off. This determines which proteins the cell makes and therefore what type of cell it becomes.
Subscribe to continue reading
Get full access to this lesson and all 10 lessons in this course.