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Introduction to the lesson
In the last lesson we looked at the ultrastructure of an animal cell. In this lesson we will study the ultrastructure of a plant cell. There are not many new differences between plant cells and animal cells that are revealed by the electron microscope but this lesson will explore the organelles exclusive to plant cells in more detail. Once again, you will need to know these organelles in detail for the exam so make sure that you do this lesson thoroughly.
Ultrastructure of plant cells
Read the section under the heading "Ultrastructure of a plant cell" in your text book (p.19-20).
Learning Activity 1
Answer the following questions in your exercise book.
- Make summary notes of the following structures and organelles of a plant cell seen with an electronic microscope, giving the size and function of each (illustrate your notes):
- Cell wall
- Large central vacuole
- Chloroplasts
- Ribosomes in the chloroplasts
- What structures do plant cells share with animal cells as seen with an electronic microscope? What structures are not shared?
- Draw the ultrastructure of a plant cell as seen with an electronic microscope.
- Compare your drawings of a plant cell as seen with a light microscope and that of a plant cell as seen with an electronic microscope. What is similar? What is different?
- Answer Question 1.5 on p.20 of your text book.
- Describe the role of chloroplasts in photosynthesis and making of ATP
- Name the protein synthesising machinery in chloroplasts.
Definitions and review
Mindmap
Add this section to your mindmap.