Deck 6: A Tour of the Cell

Question 1

Which of the following will have the greatest ratio of surface area to volume?

A) A box that is 2×2×2.
B) A box that is 1×1×1.
C) A box that is 2×2×1.
D) A box that is 1×1×2.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Which domains of life are classified as prokaryotes?

A) Bacteria and Eukarya
B) Bacteria and Archaea
C) Archaea and Fungi
D) Bacteria and Protista

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which of the following macromolecules enter the nucleus of a eukaryotic cell through pores in the nuclear membrane?

A) ribosomal proteins
B) mRNA
C) rRNA
D) phospholipids

Answer 3

A

Question 4

A newspaper ad for a local toy store indicates that an inexpensive toy microscope available for a small child is able to magnify specimens nearly as much as the more costly microscope available in your college lab. What is the primary reason for the price difference?

A) The toy microscope does not have the same fine control for focus of the specimen.
B) The toy microscope magnifies a good deal, but has low resolution and therefore poor quality images.
C) The toy microscope produces less contrast in the specimens.
D) The toy microscope usually uses a different wavelength of light source.

Question 5

What is the explanation for how a modern transmission electron microscope (TEM) can achieve a resolution of about 0.2 nanometers, whereas a standard light microscope has a maximum resolution of about 200 nanometers?

A) Glass lenses in light microscopes refract light, which reduces resolution.
B) Contrast is enhanced by staining with atoms of heavy metal.
C) Electron beams have much shorter wavelengths than visible light.
D) The electron microscope has a much greater ratio of image size to real size.

Question 6

A newly discovered unicellular organism isolated from acidic mine drainage is found to contain a cell wall, a plasma membrane, two flagella, and peroxisomes. Based just on this information, the organism is most likely ________.

A) a nonmotile prokaryote
B) a motile bacterium
C) a motile archaea
D) a nonmotile eukaryote
E) a motile eukaryote

Question 7

What is the function of the nuclear pore complex found in eukaryotes?

A) It regulates the movement of proteins and RNAs into and out of the nucleus.
B) It synthesizes the proteins required to copy DNA and make mRNA.
C) It synthesizes secreted proteins.
D) It assembles ribosomes from raw materials that are synthesized in the nucleus.

Question 8

Which of the following would be most appropriate method to observe the three-dimensional structure and organization of microvilli on an intestinal cell?

A) a hand lens (magnifying glass)
B) standard light microscopy
C) scanning electron microscopy
D) transmission electron microscopy

Question 9

Which of the following frequently imposes a limit on cell size?

A) the absence of a nucleus
B) the number of mitochondria in the cytoplasm
C) ratios of surface area to volume
D) the volume of the endomembrane system

Question 10

Which of the following would be the most appropriate method to observe the movements of condensed chromosomes during cell division?

A) a hand lens (magnifying glass)
B) standard light microscopy
C) scanning electron microscopy
D) transmission electron microscopy

Question 11

In the fractionation of homogenized cells using differential centrifugation, which of the following will require the greatest speed to form pellets at the bottom of the tube?

A) nuclei
B) mitochondria
C) chloroplasts
D) ribosomes

Question 12

Which of the following macromolecules leave the nucleus of a eukaryotic cell through pores in the nuclear membrane?

A) DNA
B) amino acids
C) mRNA
D) phospholipids

Question 13

In bacteria, DNA will be found in ________.

A) a membrane-enclosed nucleus
B) mitochondria
C) the nucleoid
D) ribosomes

Question 14

You have a cube of modeling clay in your hands. Which of the following changes to the shape of this cube of clay will decrease its surface area relative to its volume?

A) Pinch the edges of the cube into small folds.
B) Flatten the cube into a pancake shape.
C) Round the clay up into a sphere.
D) Stretch the cube into a long, shoebox shape.

Question 15

Which of the following would be most appropriate method to observe and measure the size of ribosomes in a eukaryotic cell?

A) a hand lens (magnifying glass)
B) standard light microscopy
C) scanning electron microscopy
D) transmission electron microscopy

Question 16

Which of the following is the smallest structure that would most likely be visible with a standard (not super-resolution) research-grade light microscope?

A) mitochondrion
B) microtubule
C) ribosome
D) virus

Question 17

One primary advantage of light microscopy over electron microscopy is that ________.

A) light microscopy provides for higher magnification than electron microscopy
B) light microscopy provides for higher resolution than electron microscopy
C) light microscopy allows the visualization of dynamic processes in living cells
D) light microscopy provides higher contrast than electron microscopy

Question 18

Which of the following is a major difference between prokaryotic cells and eukaryotic cells?

A) Prokaryotic cells have cell walls, while eukaryotic cells do not.
B) Eukaryotic cells have flagella, while prokaryotic cells do not.
C) Eukaryotic cells have membrane-bound organelles, while prokaryotic cells do not.
D) Prokaryotic cells are generally larger than eukaryotic cells.

Question 19

Which structure is common to plant and animal cells?

A) chloroplast
B) central vacuole
C) mitochondrion
D) centriole

Question 20

Which of the following are found in plant, animal, and bacterial cells?

A) mitochondria
B) ribosomes
C) chloroplasts
D) endoplasmic reticulum

Question 21

Which of the following organelles produces and modifies polysaccharides that will be secreted?

A) lysosome
B) mitochondrion
C) Golgi apparatus
D) peroxisome

Question 22

Thylakoids, DNA, and ribosomes are all components found in ________.

A) chloroplasts
B) mitochondria
C) lysosomes
D) nuclei

Question 23

The nuclear lamina is an array of intermediate filaments that line the inner side of the nuclear membrane. If a chemical treatment caused the lamina to disassemble, what would you expect to be the most likely immediate consequence?

A) closing of nuclear pores
B) the inability of the nucleus to divide during cell division
C) a loss of genetic information from chromosomes
D) a change in the shape of the nucleus

Question 24

Which organelle is the primary site of ATP synthesis in eukaryotic cells?

A) lysosome
B) mitochondrion
C) Golgi apparatus
D) peroxisome

Question 25

Tay-Sachs disease is a human genetic abnormality that results in cells accumulating and becoming clogged with very large, complex, undigested lipids. Which cellular organelle is most likely defective in this condition?

A) the lysosome
B) the Golgi apparatus
C) the smooth endoplasmic reticulum
D) the rough endoplasmic reticulum

Question 26

Cyanide binds with at least one molecule involved in producing ATP. If a cell is exposed to cyanide, most of the bound cyanide is likely to be localized within the ________.

A) mitochondria
B) peroxisomes
C) lysosomes
D) smooth endoplasmic reticulum

Question 27

Which organelle often takes up much of the volume of a plant cell?

A) lysosome
B) central vacuole
C) Golgi apparatus
D) chloroplast

Question 28

Where are proteins produced other than on ribosomes free in the cytosol or ribosomes attached to the endoplasmic reticulum?

A) in lysosomes
B) in the Golgi apparatus
C) in the nucleolus
D) in mitochondria

Question 29

In a liver cell detoxifying alcohol and some other poisons, the enzymes of the peroxisome remove hydrogen from these molecules and ________.

A) combine the hydrogen with water molecules to generate hydrogen peroxide
B) combine the hydrogen with oxygen molecules to generate hydrogen peroxide
C) combine the hydrogen with hydrogen peroxide to generate oxygen
D) combine the hydrogen with hydrogen peroxide to generate oxygen and water

Question 30

Suppose a cell has the following molecules and structures: enzymes, DNA, ribosomes, plasma membrane, and mitochondria. It could be a cell from ________.

A) a bacterium, but not a eukaryote
B) an animal, but not a plant
C) nearly any eukaryotic organism
D) a plant, but not an animal

Question 31

The liver is involved in detoxification of many poisons and drugs. Which of the following structures is primarily involved in this process and, therefore, abundant in liver cells?

A) rough endoplasmic reticulum
B) smooth endoplasmic reticulum
C) Golgi apparatus
D) nuclear envelope

Question 32

If plant cells are grown on media containing radioactively labeled thymine for one generation, radioactively labeled macromolecules will be detected in which of the following?

A) only in the nucleus
B) only in the nucleus and mitochondria
C) only in the nucleus and chloroplasts
D) in the nucleus, mitochondria, and chloroplasts

Question 33

Which of the following statements correctly describes some aspect of protein secretion from prokaryotic cells?

A) Prokaryotes cannot secrete proteins because they lack an endomembrane system.
B) Proteins secreted by prokaryotes are likely synthesized on ribosomes bound to the cytoplasmic surface of the plasma membrane.
C) The mechanism of protein secretion in prokaryotes is probably the same as that in eukaryotes.
D) Prokaryotes cannot secrete proteins because they lack rough endoplasmic reticulum.

Question 34

Examination of a cell by transmission electron microscopy reveals a high density of ribosomes in the cytoplasm. This observation suggests that this cell is actively producing large amounts of which of the following molecules?

A) polysaccharides
B) proteins
C) lipids
D) nucleic acids

Question 35

Which of the following is the most common pathway taken by a newly synthesized protein that will be secreted by a cell?

A) rough ER → Golgi → transport vesicle → nucleus
B) Golgi → rough ER → lysosome → transport vesicle → plasma membrane
C) rough ER → Golgi → transport vesicle → plasma membrane
D) rough ER → lysosome → transport vesicle → plasma membrane

Question 36

Asbestos is a material that was once used extensively in construction. One risk from working in a building that contains asbestos is the development of asbestosis caused by the inhalation of asbestos fibers. Cells will take up asbestos by phagocytosis, but are not able to degrade it. As a result, asbestos fibers accumulate in ________.

A) the Golgi apparatus
B) nuclei
C) peroxisomes
D) lysosomes

Question 37

A cell with a predominance of smooth endoplasmic reticulum is likely specialized to ________.

A) store large quantities of water
B) import and export large quantities of protein
C) actively secrete large quantities of protein
D) synthesize large quantities of lipids

Question 38

The evolution of eukaryotic cells most likely involved ________.

A) endosymbiosis of an oxygen-using bacterium in a larger bacterial host cell-the endosymbiont evolved into chloroplasts
B) endosymbiosis of a photosynthetic archaeal cell in a larger bacterial host cell to escape toxic oxygen-the anaerobic archaea evolved into chloroplasts
C) endosymbiosis of an oxygen-using bacterium in a larger bacterial host cell-the endosymbiont evolved into mitochondria
D) evolution of an endomembrane system and subsequent evolution of mitochondria from a portion of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum

Question 39

A cell with a predominance of rough endoplasmic reticulum is most likely ________.

A) producing large quantities of proteins for secretion
B) producing large quantities of proteins in the cytosol
C) producing large quantities of carbohydrates to assemble an extensive cell wall matrix
D) producing large quantities of carbohydrates for storage in the vacuole

Question 40

Which structure below is independent of the endomembrane system?

A) nuclear envelope
B) chloroplast
C) Golgi apparatus
D) plasma membrane

Question 41

The cell walls of bacteria, fungi, and plant cells, and the extracellular matrix of animal cells are all external to the plasma membrane. Which of the following characteristics are common to all of these extracellular structures?

A) They must block water and small molecules to regulate the exchange of matter and energy with their environment.
B) They must provide a rigid structure that maintains an appropriate ratio of cell surface area to volume.
C) They are constructed of materials that are synthesized in the cytoplasm and then transported out of the cell for assembly.
D) They are composed of a mixture of lipids and nucleotides.

Question 42

Ions can travel directly from the cytoplasm of one animal cell to the cytoplasm of an adjacent cell through ________.

A) plasmodesmata
B) tight junctions
C) desmosomes
D) gap junctions

Question 43

What is a primary function of integrins?

A) connecting intermediate filaments to microtubules involved in vesicular transport
B) linking the primary and secondary cell walls in plants
C) transmitting signals from the extracellular matrix to the cytoskeleton
D) transmitting chemical signals from the Golgi apparatus to the plasma membrane

Question 44

H. V. Wilson worked with sponges to gain some insight into exactly what was responsible for holding adjacent cells together. He exposed two species of differently pigmented sponges to a chemical that disrupted intercellular junctions, and the cells of the sponges dissociated. Wilson then mixed the cells of the two species and removed the chemical that caused the cells to dissociate. Wilson found that the sponges reassembled into two separate species. The cells from one species did not interact or form associations with the cells of the other species.
How do you explain the results of Wilson's experiments?

A) The two species of sponge had different enzymes that functioned in the reassembly process.
B) The molecules responsible for cell-cell adhesion (cell junctions) were irreversibly destroyed during the experiment.
C) The molecules responsible for cell-cell adhesion (cell junctions) differed between the two species of sponge.
D) One cell functioned as an organizer for each organism, thereby attracting only cells of the same species.

Question 45

Which of the following structures form cytoplasmic channels that connect adjacent plant cells through the cell walls?

A) desmosomes
B) gap junctions
C) plasmodesmata
D) tight junctions

Question 46

Cilia and flagella bend because of ________.

A) conformational changes in ATP that thrust microtubules laterally
B) a motor protein called radial spokes
C) contraction by myosin
D) a motor protein called dynein

Question 47

Suppose a young boy is always tired and fatigued, suffering from a metabolic disease. Which of the following organelles is most likely malfunctioning in this disease?

A) lysosomes
B) Golgi apparatus
C) mitochondria
D) smooth endoplasmic reticulum

Question 48

In plant cells, the middle lamella ________.

A) glues adjacent cells together
B) prevents dehydration of adjacent cells
C) connects the cytoplasm of adjacent cells
D) prevents excessive uptake of water by plant cells

Question 49

Cells require which of the following to form cilia or flagella?

A) tubulin
B) laminin
C) actin
D) intermediate filaments

Question 50

Vinblastine, a drug that inhibits microtubule polymerization, is used to treat some forms of cancer. Cancer cells given vinblastine would be unable to ________.

A) form cleavage furrows during cell division
B) migrate by amoeboid movement
C) separate chromosomes during cell division
D) maintain the shape of the nucleus

Question 51

A characteristic 9 + 2 arrangement of microtubules, consisting of nine doublets of microtubules surrounding a pair of single microtubules is associated with ________.

A) bacterial flagella
B) eukaryotic flagella and motile cilia
C) eukaryotic flagella, motile cilia, and nonmotile cilia
D) centrioles and basal bodies

Question 52

Motor proteins provide for molecular motion in cells by interacting with what types of cellular structures?

A) membrane proteins of the inner nuclear envelope
B) free ribosomes and ribosomes attached to the ER
C) components of the cytoskeleton
D) cellulose fibers in the cell wall

Question 53

Spherocytosis is a human blood disorder associated with a defective cytoskeletal protein in the red blood cells (RBCs). What do you suspect is the consequence of such a defect?

A) abnormally shaped RBCs
B) an insufficient supply of ATP in the RBCs
C) an insufficient supply of oxygen-transporting proteins in the RBCs
D) adherence of RBCs to blood vessel walls, causing plaque formation

Question 54

A defect in which of the following intercellular junctions would allow partially digested material to leak passively between the cells of the small intestine into the abdominal cavity?

A) desmosomes
B) gap junctions
C) plasmodesmata
D) tight junctions

Question 55

Which of the following statements about the cytoskeleton is true?

A) The cytoskeleton of eukaryotes is a static structure most resembling scaffolding used at construction sites.
B) Although microtubules are common within a cell, actin filaments are rarely found outside of the nucleus.
C) Movement of cilia and flagella is the result of motor proteins causing microtubules to move relative to each other.
D) Chemicals that block the assembly of the cytoskeleton would have little effect on a cell's response to external stimuli.

Question 56

Gaucher disease is the most common of lipid storage diseases in humans. It is caused by a deficiency of an enzyme necessary for the breakdown of lipids. This leads to the accumulation of fatty material in organs of the body including the spleen, liver, kidneys, lungs, brain, and bone marrow.
Using your knowledge of the structure of eukaryotic cells, identify the statement below that best explains how internal membranes and the organelles of cells may be involved in Gaucher disease.

A) The mitochondria are most likely defective and do not produce adequate amounts of ATP needed for cellular energy.
B) The rough endoplasmic reticulum contains too many ribosomes, which results in an overproduction of the enzyme involved in lipid breakdown.
C) The lysosomes lack sufficient amounts of enzymes necessary for the metabolism of lipids.
D) The Golgi apparatus produces vesicles with faulty membranes, which fail to be transported to the plasma membrane for secretion.

Question 57

Amoebae move by crawling over a surface (cell crawling), which involves ________.

A) growth of actin filaments to form bulges in the plasma membrane
B) assembly of microtubule extensions that vesicles can follow in the direction of movement
C) reinforcement of the pseudopod with intermediate filaments
D) localized contractions driven by myosin and microtubules

Question 58

A mutation that disrupts the ability of an animal cell to add polysaccharide modifications to proteins would most likely cause defects in which of the following organelles or structures?

A) nuclear matrix and extracellular matrix
B) mitochondria and Golgi apparatus
C) Golgi apparatus and extracellular matrix
D) nuclear pores and secretory vesicles

Question 59

Researchers investigating the mechanism of vesicular transport assembled a cell-free system that included microtubule tracks, vesicles, and ATP. However, they observed no movement of transport of vesicles in this system. What were they missing?

A) an axon
B) contractile microfilaments
C) intermediate filaments
D) motor proteins

Question 60

Cytochalasin D is a drug that prevents actin polymerization. A cell treated with cytochalasin D will still be able to carry out which of the following processes?

A) divide in two
B) contract muscle fibers
C) extend pseudopodia
D) move vesicles within a cell

Question 61

Which of the following is present in a prokaryotic cell?

A) mitochondrion
B) ribosome
C) nuclear envelope
D) chloroplast

Question 62

Which structure is common to plant and animal cells?

A) chloroplast
B) central vacuole
C) mitochondrion
D) centriole

Question 63

Cyanide binds to at least one molecule involved in producing ATP. If a cell is exposed to cyanide, most of the cyanide will be found within the

A) mitochondria.
B) ribosomes.
C) peroxisomes.
D) lysosomes.

Question 64

Both the volume and the surface area for three different cells were measured. These values are listed in the following table:

Using data from the table above, select the best explanation for why that cell will be able to eliminate waste most efficiently?

A) Cell 1, since it has the smallest volume and will not produce as much waste as the other cells.
B) Cell 2, since it has the highest ratio of surface area to volume, which facilitates the exchange of materials between a cell and its environment.
C) Cell 3, since it has the largest surface area, which will enable it to eliminate all of its wastes efficiently.
D) Cell 3, because it is big enough to allow wastes to easily diffuse through the plasma membrane.

Question 65

Which cell would be best for studying lysosomes?

A) muscle cell
B) nerve cell
C) bacterial cell
D) phagocytic white blood cell

Question 66

Which structure is not part of the endomembrane system?

A) nuclear envelope
B) chloroplast
C) Golgi apparatus
D) plasma membrane