Animal, plant & fungal cells; atypical cells
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Flip to reveal answersWhat type of cell are animal, plant and fungal cells?
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Question
What type of cell are animal, plant and fungal cells?
Answer
All are **eukaryotic** — they have a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.
Question
Define cell wall.
Answer
A **rigid layer outside the cell membrane** that gives a cell a fixed shape and support.
Question
What is a plant cell wall made of?
Answer
**Cellulose**.
Question
What is a fungal cell wall made of?
Answer
**Chitin** (not cellulose).
Question
Which cell type has no cell wall?
Answer
**Animal cells** — they have only a flexible cell membrane.
Question
Which organelle is found only in plant cells?
Answer
**Chloroplasts** — the site of photosynthesis.
Question
Why does an animal cell look irregular while a plant cell stays regular?
Answer
The plant cell has a **rigid cell wall** holding a fixed shape; the animal cell has **no wall**, so its membrane is easily squashed.
Question
What is the large vacuole in a plant cell for?
Answer
It is a fluid-filled sac that **keeps the cell firm**; animal cells have only small temporary vacuoles.
Question
Define an atypical cell.
Answer
A cell that breaks the usual rule of having **one nucleus** — either anucleate or multinucleate.
Question
Give an example of an anucleate cell and why.
Answer
A mature **red blood cell** — it **loses its nucleus**, leaving more room to carry oxygen.
Question
Give two examples of multinucleate cells.
Answer
**Skeletal muscle fibres** and **fungal hyphae** — one long cell with **many nuclei**.
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Topic 1.4 hub
Cell structure
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