AQA GCSE Combined Science Foundation (8464), Foundation tier · Biology › Cell biology › Cell structure
Practise Cell differentiation. 6 exam-style questions on this subtopic, at up to four difficulty levels, with full mark schemes and a progress tracker. Free, no account needed.
How cells become specialised as an organism develops, how this differs between animals and plants, and why it matters. Questions are usually short recall or 'explain' questions, often linked to specialised cells and stem cells.
Key facts
Differentiation: the process by which a cell becomes specialised for a particular function
A differentiating cell gains the sub-cellular structures its function needs
Most animal cells differentiate at an early stage of development
Many plant cells can differentiate throughout the plant's life
Cell division in mature animals: mainly repair and replacement
Specialised cells → tissues → organs → organ systems
Notes
What differentiation is
diagram
Differentiation is the process by which a cell becomes specialised to carry out a particular function.
As a cell differentiates, it gains the sub-cellular structures it needs for its job, and it may change shape. For example, a developing muscle cell gains many mitochondria and protein fibres.
When it has done this, it has become a specialised cell.
An organism starts as one cell, a fertilised egg. Cell division makes more cells, and differentiation turns them into all the different types of cell.
Cell division makes more cells; differentiation turns them into specialised cells.
Animals and plants
Most types of animal cell differentiate at an early stage of development.
In mature animals, cell division is mainly restricted to repair and replacement, e.g. healing a cut or replacing blood cells.
Many types of plant cell keep the ability to differentiate throughout the plant's life.
This is why a cutting taken from a plant can grow new roots, but a human cannot regrow a lost arm.
Why differentiation matters
A multicellular organism needs many different types of cell to carry out different functions.
Differentiation produces these specialised cells, which group together to form tissues, organs and organ systems.
Each specialised cell is adapted to do its own job efficiently.
How to answer each type of question
Define cell differentiation
1 markGrade 3
Use the key word 'specialised'.
Add 'for a particular function' to make the definition complete.
Example. What is meant by cell differentiation?
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The process by which a cell becomes specialised (for a particular function) (1).
Compare differentiation in animals and plants
2 marksGrade 5
Give the animal side: most cells differentiate at an early stage.
Give the plant side: many cells can differentiate throughout life.
Join the two with 'but' or 'whereas'.
Example. Describe how cell differentiation in plants is different from cell differentiation in animals.
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Most animal cells differentiate at an early stage (of development) (1), whereas many plant cells keep the ability to differentiate throughout life (1).
Don’t lose marks
Confusing differentiation with cell division. Division makes more cells; differentiation makes cells specialised.
Saying cells in adult animals never divide. They divide for repair and replacement.
Saying plant cells stop differentiating when the plant is mature. Many can differentiate throughout life.
Leaving the key word 'specialised' out of a definition.
More tips
Memory tricks
Differentiate = become different: an unspecialised cell becomes a specialised one.
Divide = more cells. Differentiate = different cells.
Animals decide early; plants keep their options open for life.
Exam technique
Use the word 'specialised' in any definition of differentiation.
For 'why is differentiation important' questions, mention different functions and forming tissues and organs.
Watch for links to stem cells: a stem cell is an undifferentiated cell that can still differentiate.
What each grade needs
What you need to be able to do, from the first marks up to the top grade.
Grade 3
State what cell differentiation isDifferentiation is the process by which a cell becomes specialised for a particular function.
Grade 4
Say when animal and plant cells differentiateMost animal cells differentiate at an early stage; many plant cells can differentiate throughout life.
Grade 5
State what cell division does in adultsIn mature animals, cell division is mainly for repair and replacement.
Quick recall
Cover the answers and test yourself. The app has these as flashcards that come back just before you'd forget them.
Name the tissue in plants in which cells keep dividing and differentiating throughout the life of the plant.
meristem
Sample questions
Written for this site in the style of AQA exam questions. They are not taken from real past papers.
Question 1Easy4 marks
As an organism develops, its cells differentiate.
(a) What is meant by cell differentiation?[1]
(b) When do most types of animal cell differentiate? Tick (✓) one box.[1]
At an early stage of development
Only after birth
Throughout the life of the animal
Only when the animal is injured
(c) In mature animals, cell division is mainly restricted to two purposes. Name one of these purposes.[1]
(d) Which statement about plant cells is correct? Tick (✓) one box.[1]
Many types of plant cell keep the ability to differentiate throughout life.
Plant cells can only differentiate inside seeds.
Plant cells lose the ability to differentiate once the plant has leaves.
Only root cells can differentiate.
Show the answer and mark scheme
(a)
the process by which a cell becomes specialised (to carry out a particular function)
(b)Answer: At an early stage of development
(c)
repair / replacement (of cells)
(d)Answer: Many types of plant cell keep the ability to differentiate throughout life.
Question 2Medium6 marks
A fertilised egg divides many times to form an embryo. The cells of the embryo then differentiate.
(a) Explain why cell differentiation is important for a multicellular organism.[2]
(b) When a cell in a young leaf differentiates into a palisade cell, it develops many chloroplasts. Explain why.[2]
(c) Compare the ability of cells to differentiate in mature animals and in mature plants.[2]
Show the answer and mark scheme
(a)
it produces specialised cells / cells with different functions
so that the organism can form tissues / organs that carry out all of its life processes (efficiently)
(b)
palisade cells carry out most of the photosynthesis (in the leaf)
chloroplasts contain chlorophyll which absorbs light (for photosynthesis)
(c)
most animal cells differentiate at an early stage / in mature animals cell division is mainly for repair and replacement
many types of plant cell keep the ability to differentiate throughout life