Technically, every cell in the human body is different, even though all of your cells carry exactly the same genetic information. Different cells express different genes during their development and during their lifetime, so each one really is unique.
Generally, there are over 300 distinct cell types or categories. Each type is specialised to do a particular job in the body. Similar cells group together to form tissues. The skin, for example, is formed from layers of several different types of cell, skin epithelia cells, basement membrane cells, hair cells and so on.
Few cells look like little blobs ~ nerve cells are long and thin with complex branching heads. Sperm cells have a head and a very long tail to enable them to swim to the much larger, rounded egg. Red blood cells are biconcave discs ~ this shape gives them a large surface area so that they can carry oxygen and carbon dioxide more efficiently.
There is a great variety of cells but it is a common observation that the shape and style of each one relates very closely to its function.
Generally, there are over 300 distinct cell types or categories. Each type is specialised to do a particular job in the body. Similar cells group together to form tissues. The skin, for example, is formed from layers of several different types of cell, skin epithelia cells, basement membrane cells, hair cells and so on.
Few cells look like little blobs ~ nerve cells are long and thin with complex branching heads. Sperm cells have a head and a very long tail to enable them to swim to the much larger, rounded egg. Red blood cells are biconcave discs ~ this shape gives them a large surface area so that they can carry oxygen and carbon dioxide more efficiently.
There is a great variety of cells but it is a common observation that the shape and style of each one relates very closely to its function.