Name: Cell specialization | Genes, cells, and organisms | High school biology | Khan Academy
Uploaded: 2022-02-08T08:40:12.000Z
Duration: 5 min 32 s
Description: Thousands of YouTube videos with English-Chinese subtitles! Now you can learn to understand native speakers, expand your vocabulary, and improve your pronunciation...

- [Instructor] Ah, the basic building blocks

carry out a variety of functions in the body,

and working with other cells to produce things

Each cell is essentially like its own little mini factory,

with complex processes occurring within the cell

Okay, so when we zoom into the cell to figure out

how exactly these cell processes are carried out,

is a class of biological macromolecules known as proteins.

many incredibly important tasks in the cell,

We can imagine proteins as a chain of amino acids,

kind of think of them as like beads on a bracelet

that fold and twist into distinct three-dimensional shapes.

along with the chemical properties of its amino acid,

that can attach and interact with other compounds?

Or does it twist into long and narrow strands

leads to the wide range of cellular functions

Okay, so now that we've talked about proteins,

to analyze how different types of cells come together

to carry out a variety of functions in an organism.

This is where cell specialization comes into play,

which is the process by which a cell takes on

So to better help understand this concept,

There is the cashier that handles all the money,

the snack vendor who handles out popcorn and snacks

who directs you to the proper screenings.

each person has their own distinct functions

the body is also composed of specialized cells

such as red blood cells that carry oxygen in the blood,

or even nerve cells that carry signaling messages

Now, remember how I told you about proteins before?

Well, cell specialization is largely based

on which proteins are present or absent in the cell.

It is a cell's unique combination of proteins

that determine which functions can be carried out.

that carry out specific functions for the organism

Looking back at our movie theater analogy,

there are multiple people within each department

that work together to help the theater function efficiently.

Similarly, our specialized cells work together

as tissues to help the organism function.

that moves important substances throughout the body.

The muscle cells help make up muscle tissue

and neurons or nerve cells make up nervous tissue

that helps the organism process information.

So what are the key takeaways about cell specialization?

Number one, cells are the fundamental unit of life.

Number two, proteins help carry out cell processes.

Number three, specialized cells carry out

where each person has its own specific role.

And number four, groups of specialized cells

to carry out one or more specific functions

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Cell specialization | Genes, cells, and organisms | High school biology | Khan Academy

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