Plant Cell Structure and Function

Question 1

What is a cell?

Answer 1

A cell is the smallest unit of organism that carries on all the processes of life.

Question 2

What is the cell theory?

Answer 2

The cell theory indicates that all living organisms are made up of one or more cells, the cell is the basic unit of living organisms, and that all cells come from pre-existing cells.

Question 3

What was the contribution of Hans & Zacharias Janssen?

Answer 3

Hans & Zacharias Janssen produced the first compound microscope.

Question 4

What was the contribtuion of Robert Hooke?

Answer 4

Robert hooke, an English scientist, was the first person to see cork cells under a compound microscope and he saw “a great many little rooms”. Coined the term “cell” which which is derived from a Latin word which means little room.

Question 5

What was the contribution of Anton Van Leeuwenhoek?

Answer 5

Anton Van Leeuwenhoek, a dutch shopkeeper, observed pond water under a simple microscope and he saw single-celled microorganisms which he called “animalcules”.

Question 6

What was the contribution of Matthias Schleiden?

Answer 6

Matthias Schleiden is a German botanist who discovered that all plants are made up of cells.

Question 7

What was the contribution of Rudolf Virchow?

Answer 7

Rudolf Virchow is a German physician who discovered that all living organisms are made up of cells, he also discovered that all cells come from pre-existing cells.

Question 8

What was the contribtuion of Theodor Schwann?

Answer 8

Theodor Schwann was a German scientist who discovered that, aside from plants, animals are also made up of cells.

Question 9

What is a multicellular organism?

Answer 9

A multicellular organism is made up of two or more cells which allows division of labor in order for the cell to become more efficient.

Question 10

What is a unicellular organism?

Answer 10

A unicellular organism is made up of one cell and does not allow division of labor which results to the cell performing all functions by itself.

Question 11

What is a prokaryotic cell?

Answer 11

A prokaryotic cell is a cell with no nucleus and it has no membrane-bound organelles.

Question 12

What is a eukaryotic cell?

Answer 12

A eukaryotic cell is a cell which has nucleus and has membrane-bound organelles.

Question 13

What is a cell wall?

Answer 13

A cell wall is a dead cell structure that only exists in plants, it is made up of cellulose and it is responsible for the rigidity of plant cells.

Question 14

What is the middle lamella?

Answer 14

The middle lamella is a cell structure which forms when the cell wall is formed and is shared between two adjacent cells, it consists a layer of pectin.

Question 15

What is the protoplasm?

Answer 15

The protoplasm, also called protoplast, is a cell structure made up of proteins, nucleic acids, and water. Everything in the cell is made up of protoplasm.

Question 16

What is cytoplasm?

Answer 16

The cytoplasm is a cell structure where membrane-bound organelles of a cell float and where materials for growth are found. It is jelly-like and 80% water.

Question 17

What are cell organelles?

Answer 17

A cell organelle is a component of a cell which performs a specific function of the cell.

Question 18

What is plasma membrane?

Answer 18

The plasma membrane is a double lipid layer which acts like the gatekeeper of a cell and is responsible for taking in nutrients and expelling wastes out from the cell.

Question 19

What is the nucleus?

Answer 19

The nucleus acts like the control center of a cell it contains genetic information and the chromosomes. It is enclosed by the nuclear envelope which has nuclear pores and has a nucleolus.

Question 20

What are nuclear pores?

Answer 20

Nuclear pores are involved in the transport of materials between the nucleus and the rest of the cell.

Question 21

What is a nucleolus?

Answer 21

The nucleolus has ribosomes that partially synthesizes proteins to be sent out of the nucleus.

Question 22

What is the endoplasmic reticulum?

Answer 22

The endoplasmic reticulum is a network of flattened sacs and tubes that form channels throughout the cytoplasm. It has two kinds: the rough endoplasmic reticulum and smooth endoplasmic reticulum. It facilitates cellular communication and is responsible for the transport of materials throughout the cell and is referred to as the “intercellular highway”.

Question 23

What is the rough endoplasmic reticulum?

Answer 23

The rough endoplasmic reticulum is responsible for the synthesis of proteins through the ribosomes attached to its surface.

Question 24

What is the smooth endoplasmic reticulum?

Answer 24

The smooth endoplasmic reticulum is responsible for the synthesis of lipids.

Question 25

What are ribosomes?

Answer 25

Ribosomes are small, dark organelles that are either floating in the cytoplasm or attached to the rough endoplasmic reticulum and helps in producing proteins.

Question 26

What are dictyosomes?

Answer 26

Dictyosomes are series of flattened sacs that are responsible for storage of materials or packaging of materials to be sent to other parts of the cell.

Question 27

What are plastids?

Answer 27

Plastids are groups of dynamic organelles that are able to perform many functions.

Question 28

What is a chloroplast?

Answer 28

A chloroplast is a green plastid that carries out photosynthesis for the plant to make its food. Inside the chloroplast, we have the stroma and the thylakoids.

Question 28

What is a chloroplast?

Answer 28

A chloroplast is a green plastid that carries out photosynthesis for the plant to make its food. Inside the chloroplast, we have the stroma and the thylakoids.

Question 29

What is the stroma?

Answer 29

The stroma is the fluid part inside the chloroplast and is where light independent reactions occur.

Question 30

What are thylakoids?

Answer 30

Thylakoids are the membrane sheets inside the chloroplast which contains chlorophyll and where light dependent reactions occur, a stack of thylakoids is called a granum and multiple stacks of thylakoids are called grana.

Question 31

What is mitochondria?

Answer 31

The mitochondria is commonly known as the “powerhouse of the cell”, it performs cellular respiration and through it produces energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate.

Question 32

What is cristae?

Answer 32

The cristae is the mitochondrial folding which contains enzymes.

Question 33

What is the matrix?

Answer 33

The matrix is the part of the mitochondria where reactions that do not involve highly reactive intermediates occur.

Question 34

What is the central vacuole?

Answer 34

The central vacuole is the food storage of the cell it contains water and other substances. It has a single membrane called the tonoplast. The cell sap helps maintain the pressure within the cell.

Question 35

What is the cytoskeleton?

Answer 35

The cytoskeleton is an intricate network which consists of microtubules and microfilaments that are responsible for movement within the cell and of the cell.

Question 36

What are microtubules?

Answer 36

Microtubules are made up of tubulins that are responsible for the movement of parts within the cell. It controls the addition of cellulose to the cell wall.