Which structures occur only in plant cells?

Which structures occur only in plant cells?

• A. Ribosomes and Mitochondria
• B. Cell Plate and Chloroplasts
• C. Golgi Apparatus and Lysosomes
• D. Centrosomes and Vesicles

Answer: (B)

Plants have two features tied to how they grow and harvest energy. During cell division, plant cells form a cell plate: vesicles from the Golgi gather in the center and fuse to build a separating cell wall, since plant cells have rigid walls and can’t pinch apart like animal cells. Chloroplasts are the sites of photosynthesis, containing chlorophyll to capture light and convert it into chemical energy. These two structures are characteristic of plant cells (and some algae), which is why they’re the correct answer. Other options include structures found in many cell types. Ribosomes and mitochondria appear in both plant and animal cells; the Golgi apparatus is present in both; lysosomes are more typical in animal cells; centrosomes (with centrioles) are a feature mainly of animal cells.

Plants have two features tied to how they grow and harvest energy. During cell division, plant cells form a cell plate: vesicles from the Golgi gather in the center and fuse to build a separating cell wall, since plant cells have rigid walls and can’t pinch apart like animal cells. Chloroplasts are the sites of photosynthesis, containing chlorophyll to capture light and convert it into chemical energy. These two structures are characteristic of plant cells (and some algae), which is why they’re the correct answer.

Other options include structures found in many cell types. Ribosomes and mitochondria appear in both plant and animal cells; the Golgi apparatus is present in both; lysosomes are more typical in animal cells; centrosomes (with centrioles) are a feature mainly of animal cells.