GCSE · Biology · Edexcel · Spec 1BI0

Plant cell sub-cellular structures and functions

You know the animal cell. A plant has three extra problems: holding itself up, making glucose using light, and staying firm. Plant cells usually have one extra structure for each.

Biology · Cell structure

A plant cell, part by part

Showing 4 layers: Cell wall, Cell membrane and cytoplasm, Structures inside, Labels

Layers

Explore

peel off the wall — what's underneath?

Every structure is labelled. Tap any structure to see its job, then switch the labels off and test yourself: can you still name all eight?

Tap any structure to see its job. Then switch the cell wall off and look at what's still there, just inside it.

Plant or animal?

Who has what?

You've met the animal cell before. For each structure, choose every cell it is found in: the plant cell, the animal cell, or both.

A Plant cell
B Animal cell

Nucleus
Cell membrane
Cytoplasm
Mitochondria
Ribosomes
Cell wall
Chloroplasts
Large permanent vacuole

Structure and job

Whose job is it?

No peeking at the cell above. Each job belongs to exactly one structure: pick a job, then pick the structure that does it.

Still to sort

Nucleus (0)

Cell membrane (0)

Where the line is: Wall = strength. Membrane = gatekeeper.

Cytoplasm (0)

Mitochondria (0)

Where the line is: Energy released? Mitochondria. Glucose made? Chloroplasts.

Ribosomes (0)

Cell wall (0)

Chloroplasts (0)

Large permanent vacuole (0)

8 of 8 still to sort.

Wall or membrane?

The wall-and-membrane mix-up

A student draws a plant cell. They draw a thick cell wall around the outside and label it 'controls what goes in and out'. They don't draw a cell membrane at all.

Which of these is closest to what you think right now?

That's fine. Plant cells have a cell wall instead of a cell membrane.They should add a membrane, but the label is right: the wall controls what goes in and out.They should add a membrane, on the outside of the wall.They need a membrane just inside the wall, and the label belongs on the membrane, not the wall.

How sure are you?

I'm sureI think soI'm guessing

That's fine. Plant cells have a cell wall instead of a cell membrane.

This is a common misconception

It's an easy idea to pick up, but plant cells have both. The wall is the outermost layer, and the cell membrane is the next layer in, just inside the wall. Switch the wall off in the cell above and you'll see the membrane is still there.

They should add a membrane, but the label is right: the wall controls what goes in and out.

This is a common misconception

Good that you'd add the membrane, but the label is on the wrong layer. Controlling what enters and leaves is the membrane's job, because it's partially permeable. The wall, made of cellulose fibres, strengthens the cell and supports the plant.

They should add a membrane, on the outside of the wall.

This is a common misconception

Right to add it, wrong place. The wall is the outermost layer, and the membrane sits just inside it.

They need a membrane just inside the wall, and the label belongs on the membrane, not the wall.

This matches the evidence

Exactly. The wall is on the outside and strengthens the cell and supports the plant. The membrane is just inside it and controls what enters and leaves the cell.

Wall outside, membrane just inside, and a plant cell has both. The wall gives strength and support; the membrane controls what gets in and out.

The root hair twist

Reason it through

Why does a root hair cell have no chloroplasts, even though it's a plant cell?

Link 1 of 3

First link · your turn

Start with what reaches the cell. Does a root hair cell get any light?

Locked — reveal the link above first

Your turn

Write it in your own words

Describe the functions of the three sub-cellular structures that plant cells have but animal cells do not. [3 marks]

Your answer

0 words · your answer stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.

The mark scheme

Cell wall: strengthens the cell and supports the plant (made of cellulose fibres). (1 mark)
Chloroplasts: where photosynthesis takes place; their chlorophyll absorbs light energy. (1 mark)
Large permanent vacuole: filled with cell sap, which helps keep the cell turgid. (1 mark)

Model answer

The cell wall is made of cellulose fibres; it strengthens the cell and supports the plant. Chloroplasts contain chlorophyll, which absorbs light energy, and photosynthesis takes place inside them. The large permanent vacuole is filled with cell sap, which helps keep the cell turgid.

Name each structure, then give its job. A list of names on its own doesn't describe a single function.

WHAT YOU'VE LEARNED

A quick recap of today's lesson.

The five structures animal cells have, plus three extras, and every one has its own job.

What you need to know

Plant cells share five sub-cellular structures with animal cells: the nucleus, cell membrane, cytoplasm, mitochondria and ribosomes.
Plant cells usually also have three structures that animal cells don't: a cell wall, chloroplasts and a large permanent vacuole.
The cell wall is the outermost layer, and the cell membrane is the next layer in, just inside the wall. A plant cell has both.
Not every plant cell has every structure: root hair cells receive no light, so they have no chloroplasts and cannot photosynthesise.

The big picture

A typical plant cell has eight sub-cellular structures, each with its own job. Five of them, the nucleus, cell membrane, cytoplasm, mitochondria and ribosomes, are shared with animal cells. Plant cells usually add three more: a cell wall made of cellulose fibres for strength and support, chloroplasts where photosynthesis takes place, and a large permanent vacuole full of cell sap that helps keep the cell turgid. The wall is the outermost layer, with the membrane just inside it. Not every plant cell has all eight: root hair cells receive no light, so they have no chloroplasts.

Key points

1Nucleus: controls the activities of the cell and contains DNA, the genetic material.

2Cell membrane: partially permeable, so it controls what enters and leaves the cell.

3Cytoplasm: a jelly-like liquid with salts and nutrients, where many chemical reactions take place.

4Mitochondria: the site of aerobic respiration, which releases energy for the cell.

5Ribosomes: the site of protein synthesis, and the smallest sub-cellular structures.

6Cell wall: made of cellulose fibres; it strengthens the cell and supports the plant.

7Chloroplasts: contain chlorophyll, which absorbs light energy; photosynthesis takes place here.

8Large permanent vacuole: filled with cell sap, which helps keep the cell turgid.

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Worked example

Problem

A cell has a nucleus, a cell membrane, cytoplasm, mitochondria, ribosomes, a cell wall and a large permanent vacuole. It has no chloroplasts. Is it a plant cell or an animal cell? Explain your answer.

⚠ Watch out

Writing that a plant cell has a cell wall instead of a cell membrane. It has both: the wall is the outermost layer and the membrane is just inside it. And it's the membrane, not the wall, that controls what enters and leaves the cell.

🧠

Memory hook

Five shared, three extra, and the extras are W, C, V: Wall, Chloroplasts, Vacuole. Then remember the wall is on the outside, with the membrane tucked just inside it.

✓

Check yourself

Sketch a plant cell from memory and label all eight structures, with one job beside each. Did you get the wall and the membrane the right way round?

Flashcards

(13)

Which five sub-cellular structures do plant and animal cells share?

Nucleus, cell membrane, cytoplasm, mitochondria and ribosomes.

Which three structures do plant cells usually have that animal cells don't?

A cell wall, chloroplasts and a large permanent vacuole.

In a plant cell, what is the outermost layer, and what comes next?

The cell wall is outermost. The cell membrane is the next layer in, just inside the wall.

What does the nucleus do?

It controls the activities of the cell. It contains DNA, the genetic material.

What does 'partially permeable' mean for the cell membrane?

It lets some substances through but not others, so it controls what enters and leaves the cell.

What is cytoplasm, and what happens in it?

A jelly-like liquid containing salts and nutrients, surrounding the other structures. Many chemical reactions take place in it.

What happens in mitochondria?

Aerobic respiration. They contain the enzymes for respiration, which releases energy for the cell.

What do ribosomes do?

They are the site of protein synthesis, where proteins are made. They're also the smallest sub-cellular structures.

What is the cell wall made of, and what does it do?

Cellulose fibres. It strengthens the cell and supports the plant.

What is chlorophyll, and what does it do?

A green pigment inside chloroplasts. It absorbs light energy.

Which reaction takes place in chloroplasts?

Photosynthesis: the reaction plants use to make glucose.

What fills the large permanent vacuole, and what does it do?

Cell sap, which helps keep the cell turgid (firm).

Why do root hair cells have no chloroplasts?

They receive no light, so they have no chloroplasts and cannot photosynthesise.

Tap any card to flip it, or use Study as deck to go through them one at a time. In the full lesson these run as a spaced-repetition deck — you rate each card Hard, Good or Easy and the tricky ones keep coming back until they stick.

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Who has what?

Whose job is it?

The wall-and-membrane mix-up

Write it in your own words

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