Plant Cells (4.7)

Question 1

Give a function for each feature listed above (cell wall, chloroplast, amyloplast, vacuole, tonoplast, plasmodesmata, pits and middle lamella)

Answer 1

CELL WALL - provides tensile strength and protection against mechanical and osmotic stress
CHLOROPLAST - produce energy through photosynthesis and oxygen-release processes, which sustain plant growth and crop yield
AMYLOPLAST - synthesis and storage of starch
VACUOLE - help maintain water balance
TONOPLAST - adjusting cell turgor in response to developmental and environmental signals.
PLASMODESMATA - allow the trafficking of molecules between cells
PITS - allow the flow of water and nutrients from one element to another, linking water uptake in roots with transpiration in leaves.
MIDDLE LAMELLA. - a cementing layer between the primary walls of adjacent cells

Question 2

Compare and contrast a plant cell with an animal cell

Answer 2

Both animal and plant cells share common features such as mitochondrion, a cell membrane, cytoplasm, membrane bound nucleus, ribosomes, RER & SER, etc.
However plant cells have features that are not found in animal cells. These consist of a vacuole, amyloplasts, tonoplast, a cell wall and chloroplasts.