what types of cells is a mammalian cell?

[soconfused]

hi guys!

 

 

what types of cells is a mammalian cell? i know this is maybe a "horrible" question, but i find it hard knowing the different cells under this category cell. i have looked in the net, but don't find any site where they explain about this type of cell.

 

so hope for some ideas.

 

thanks!

[Skye]

You mean like eukaryote?

[Ophiolite]

Here are some basic facts that might be of use to you.

 

Any life on Earth may be placed in one of two groups. The prokaryotes and the eukaryotes.

 

The prokaryotes were, as the name suggests the first to appear about 3.8 billion years before present. They have the more the more primitive cell type (though it is still pretty complex) and most life with this structure is single celled. All bacteria are prokaryotes.

 

There is some debate as to when the eukaryotes first appeared, but it was likely around 2 billion years ago (fossilised remains are common by 1.6 billion years ago). They had several distinctive features, but the most critical was that they were much more structured than the prokaryotes. In particular the chromosomes, carrying the cells genetic instructions, were located in a central nucleus. Also there were other structures, or organelles, which specialized in other necessary cell functions. The early eukaryotes were single celled also.

 

All plants and animals are eukaryotes. Between one billion and 500 million years ago multi-celled organisms developed, increasing in complexity. In the Cambrian period, around 600 my ago, all the major forms of animal life appeared (though often in very primitive form). A major difference between plant cells and animal cells are the chloroplasts. These are where the chlorophyll is located that plants use to capture the energy of sunlight.

 

These two cell types are nicely illustrated here:

http://sun.menloschool.org/~cweaver/cells/

There is even more information here

http://www.cellsalive.com/cells/3dcell.htm

 

Now all that is by way of background and probably does not answer your question. (But its an area I’m comfortable with. I m now moving out of my comfort zone.)

The animal cells of invertebrates like clams or squid, or vertebrates like fish, reptiles or mammals are all broadly similar. Because these animals are very complex and have a highly differentiated anatomy, there are big differences between the cells in different body parts. Your brain cells are quite different from your muscle cells or skin cells for example.

 

In some ways the muscle cells of a salmon and a pig will be more alike than are the muscle cells and brain cells of a pig. The pig – salmon difference is expressed in its bodily structure more than in its cellular structure. I am not aware of any distinct and reasonably consistent difference between mammal cells and other animals. Or, to put it another way, mammal cells do not have features unique to them.

 

Of course there are exceptions. Here is an example:

“Erythrocytes in mammals are unique among vertebrates in that they are enucleated (i.e., contain no nuclei) and circular rather than elliptical.” From http://www.genomesize.com/cellsize/mammals.htm

 

I trust this is of some use and hope the biologists out there will jump in quickly to correct my laughable errors and educate both of us.

[Sorcerer]

Right they are eukaryotic....... or........

Did he mean what type of cells are mammory glands?

[Ophiolite]

Right they are eukaryotic....... or........

Did he mean what type of cells are mammory glands?

Only if he was trying to keep abreast of developments in cell biology.