BI 302 PLANT PHYSIOLOGY TUTORIAL 1

PLANT CELL STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION

1. a. Explain the uniqueness of plant cells using cell structures and organelles.
b. What cell organelle would be heavily responsible for increasing the leaf size of a
plant? Explain how this organelle works to increase leaf size. What are some of
the other important functions of this organelle?

2. What components make up the cell wall? Differentiate between primary and
secondary cell walls.

3. Describe the structure and state the functions of the plasmodesmata. Why are
plasmodesmata absolutely necessary for plant cells?

4. Explain how the plasma membrane structure and membrane fluidity of plant cells
differ from animal cells. This special membrane fluidity property is essential for
plant life. Explain why?

5. What cell organelles are common in both plant and animal cells but differ in
organization within plant cells?

6. Discuss the internal structure of chloroplast and mitochondria. Explain why

chloroplast and mitochondria are considered as 'semiautonomous'.

7. Explain why most proteins synthesized by the mitochondrial genome are

prokaryotic-types.

8. Explain the role of microbodies in plants.

9. Suppose a plant cell is analogous to a night club. What do you think is the likely
role of the chloroplasts? What about other organelles?