Cell Biology Exercise

1. Which of the following statements is correct? Please select all that apply.

a) Hooke was first to observe living cells and introduce the word cell to describe them

b) Brown, Schleiden and Schwann, all working independently, were first to propose the cell theory.

c) Remak was first to propose the tenet that 'all cells arise from other cells'.

d) Leeuwenhoek was the first to observe unicellular organisms in pond water.

Leeuwenhoek was the first to observe unicellular organisms in pond water, although
Hooke was first to introduce the word cell after observing the dead cells (cell walls only)
in cork. Schleiden and Schwann, working independently, were the first to propose the
cell theory. Brown was first to observe the nucleus. Remak was first to note that 'all cells
arise from other cells', although his findings were later published by Virchow.
2. Which of the following statements is correct? Please select all that apply.

a) Classifying organisms on the basis of whether their cells have respective prokaryotic or
eukaryotic structures is valid because this is a strong taxonomic character.

b) The cell surface membranes of both archaea and bacteria contain similar types of lipids.

c) The molecular biologies of archaea and eucarya show a greater proportion of similarities than
those of eucarya and bacteria.

d) The last universal common ancestor most likely had a primitive prokaryotic cell organization.

Feedback:
Classifying organisms on the basis of whether their cells have respective prokaryotic or
eukaryotic structures is invalid. This is a poor taxonomic character because two of the now
accepted domains, Archaea and Bacteria, both comprise prokaryotic cells. The major lipids
of archaea are branched polyprenyl glycerol esters, while those of bacteria are
phosphoacylglycerols. The molecular biologies of eucarya and bacteria have some
resemblances. However, it is the archaea and eucarya that are more closely related. The last
universal common ancestor most probably did not have a nucleus nor organelles and
therefore could be described as a primitive prokaryotic cell.

3. Which one of the following is associated with bacterial cells?

a) Ribosomes b) Nucleus c) Chloroplasts d) Lysosomes

Feedback:

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Cell Biology Exercise
Prokaryotic cells do not possess the characteristic organelles of eukaryotic c ells, such as
chloroplasts and lysosomes.
4. The overall shape of a bacterial cell is determined by which of the following?

a) Cytoskeleton b) Cell wall c) Nucleoid d) Cell surface membrane

Feedback:
The cell surface membrane is a flexible structure and therefore cannot confer shape.
5. Which of the following statements is correct?

a) Animal and fungal cells contain chloroplasts.

b) Animal and plant cells do not contain mitochondria.

c) Plant, animal and fungal cells possess mitochondria.

d) All plant cells contain chloroplasts.

Feedback:
Many types of plant cells, such as those in roots or the interiors of stems and tree trunks, do
not possess chloroplasts.

6. Which of the following are not found in plant cells?

a) Mitochondria b) Glyoxysomes c) Centrosomes d) Golgi apparatus

Feedback:
The Golgi apparatus of plant cells are often referred to as dictyosomes

7. Which of the following biomolecules are formed by condensation reactions? Please select all that
apply.

a) Polypeptides b) Polysaccharides c) Steroids d) Nucleic acids

Feedback:
Polypeptides, polysaccharides and nucleic acids are all biological polymers and are formed
by the condensation of amino acids, monosaccharides and nucleotides respectively. Steroids
are relatively small, non-polymeric lipids.
8. Condensation reactions can occur between which of the following pairs of chemical functional
groups? Please select all that apply.

a) Hydroxyl (-OH) and hydroxyl groups b) Carboxylic acid and carboxylic acid

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 Cell Biology Exercise
c) Amino and carboxylic acid groups d) Carboxylic acid and hydroxyl groups

Feedback:
A chemical bond can be formed with the elimination of a water molecule, that is by a
condensation reaction, between all four listed pairings.
9. Prokaryotic cells can only be cultured on solid media.

a) True b) False

Feedback:
Prokaryotic cells can be cultured on both solid media and in liquid media as long as they
have the correct nutrients to support their growth

10. Which of the following is the correct reason why liquid media is favoured for culturing
thermophilic archaea?

a) Liquid media can be heated to higher temperatures.

b) Liquid media is easier to store.

c) Solid media is usually unstable at optimum growing temperatures.

d) Solid media becomes glass-like at high temperatures.

Feedback:
Liquid media is normally favoured for culturing of thermophilic archaea because solid
media are usually unstable at optimum growing temperatures.

11. ______ ____ is a stain used to distinguish between living/viable and dead/non-viable cells to
assess the viability of a cell culture.

Trypan blue
Feedback:
Trypan blue is a stain used to distinguish between living/viable and dead/non-viable cells to
assess the viability of a cell culture. Viability assays are used to assess the success of
methods of preserving cells or the toxicity of additives to the cultures media. Trypan blue is
usually used because it stains dead/non-viable cell, but is excluded from living cells and does
not stain them.

12. Match the definition to the correct option.

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 Cell Biology Exercise
The apparent size of an image divided by its real size.
Resolution
The minimum distance between two points that can still be seen as distinct structures.
Contrast
The difference between the brightness of various parts of the specimen compared to that Specimen stage
of the background.

Part of the microscope on which the object of investigation is positioned.

Magnification
Feedback:
Magnification is the apparent size of an image divided by its actual size. Resolution is the
minimum distance between two points that can still be seen as distinct structures. Contrast is
the difference between the brightness of various details compared to that of the background.
The specimen stage is the part of the microscope on which the object of investigation sits.

13. Which of the following microscopy techniques relies on the specimen interfering with the
wavelength of light to produce a high contrast image without the need for dyes or any damage to the
sample?

a) Conventional bright field light microscopy b) Phase contrast microscopy

c) Electron microscopy d) Fluorescence microscopy

Feedback:
Phase contrast microscopy relies on the phenomenon of interference to produce high contrast
images of unstained living specimens

14. Confocal laser scanning microscopy is a fluorescence-based microscopy technique.

a) True b) False

Feedback:

Confocal laser scanning microscopy uses fluorescent dyes to visualize different focal
planes of the specimen enabling a complete three dimensional image of the specimen to
be constructed.
15. Which of the following are techniques for homogenizing tissues/cells? Please select all that
apply.

a) Grinding in a pestle and mortar b) Dehydration c) Bead beating d) Sonication

Feedback:
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 Cell Biology Exercise
Grinding in a pestle and mortar, beadbeating and sonication are all used to homogenize
tissues/cells. Pestle and mortars can be used to mechanically grind and disrupt the
tissues/cells. Beadbeating involves using metal or ceramic beads in a liquid vortex to
disrupt tissues/cells. Sonication uses high frequency sound waves to disrupt tissues/cells.
Dehydration is not used to homogenize tissues/cells

16. Following centrifugation, larger particles are found in the pellet while smaller particles remain in
the ___________.

Supernatant
Feedback:
Following centrifugation, larger particles are found in the pellet while smaller particles
remain in the supernatant. During centrifugation, larger particles are sedimented to form a
pellet, while smaller ones remain suspended in the supernatant. Following centrifugation, the
supernatant can then be poured off the pellet and subjected to further rounds of
centrifugation at increasing speeds and times, to sediment the smaller particles.

17. In continuous density gradient centrifugation, particles of different densities will accumulate and
form discrete bands at the interfaces between each step of the gradient.

a) True b) False

Feedback:
A continuous density gradient does not have gradient steps because the gradient changes
continuously down the centrifuge tube. Thus interfaces do not occur. Discontinuous density
gradients do have interfaces between each gradient step.

18.Which of the following applies to membrane lipids? Please select all that apply.

a) Membrane lipids are composed of hydrophobic molecules.

b) Scramblases and flippases are able to catalyze the transfer of lipid molecules between the outer
and inner leaflets.

c) Membrane lipids are able to spontaneously move between the outer and inner leaflets.

d) Different lipid compositions are found in the two leaflets of a membrane.

Feedback:
The two leaflets of a membrane differ in their lipid compositions. These differences are maintained by
the actions of scramblases and flippases that are able to catalyze the transfer of lipid molecules
between the outer and inner leaflets. These transfers cannot occur spontaneously because it is

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 Cell Biology Exercise
energetically unfavourable for the hydrophilic heads of the amphipathic membrane lipids to move
through the hydrophobic core of the membrane.
19. Which of the following components of biological membrane are amphipathic? Please select
all that apply.

a) Integral membrane proteins b) Phospholipids c) Glycolipids

d) Membrane steroids such as cholesterol, sitosterol and ergosterol

Feedback:
The portions of integral membrane proteins inserted into the lipid bilayer have hydrophobic
surfaces; those parts exposed on the exterior of the membrane have largely hydrophilic surfaces.
Therefore integral membrane proteins are amphipathic. All membrane lipids: phospholipids,
glycolipids and steroids, are amphipathic.

20. Membrane proteins may be attached to the membrane by which of the following types of
interaction? Please select all that apply.

a) Ionic interactions (salt links) b) Hydrophobic interactions

c) á helical or â sheet domains containing hydrophobic amino acid residues are used to attach some
types of membrane proteins to the lipid bilayer.

d) Covalent bonds with membrane lipids

Feedback:
Peripheral proteins and integral membrane proteins are attached to biological membranes primarily
by ionic and hydrophobic interactions respectively. Integral membrane proteins are generally
attached by intramembrane á helices but porins are attached by intramembrane â strands. Both á
helices and â strands are rich in hydrophobic amino acid residues. Lipid-anchored proteins are
attached to membranes through covalent bonds to membrane lipids.
21. Which of the following statements is true of Na /K -adenosine triphosphatases?
+ +

a) They use the free energy from the hydrolysis of ATP to transport K+ out the cell and Na+ into the
cell.

b) They are tetramers, consisting of four equally sized polypeptide chains.

c) They indirectly control the volume of the cell.

d) Their actions maintain a membrane potential with a value often of approximately -60 mV; the
interior of the cell being positive with respect to the exterior.

Feedback:

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 Cell Biology Exercise
The membrane potential has a value often of approximately -60 mV; the interior of the cell being
negative with respect to the exterior.
22. Both the Na+/glucose symporter and Na+/K+-adenosine triphosphatase of enterocytes use free
energy from the hydrolysis of ATP to drive the transmembrane transport of their respective solutes.
a) True b) False

Feedback:
Correct: the Na+/K+-adenosine triphosphatase does use the free energy from the hydrolysis of ATP to drive the transport of Na+ and
K+; however, the Na+/glucose symporter use the transmembrane electrochemical gradient of Na+ to drive the influx of glucose.

23. With respect to their surrounding membrane system, which is the odd one out?

a) Nucleus. b) Endoplasmic reticulum. c) Mitochondria. d) Chloroplasts.

Feedback:
Only the endoplasmic reticulum is surrounded by a single membrane system, while nuclei,
mitochondria and chloroplasts are surrounded by a double membrane or envelope.
24. Which of the following might legitimately be considered part of the endomembrane system? Please
select all that apply.

a) Rough endoplasmic reticulum b) Transitional endoplasmic reticulum

c) Smooth endoplasmic reticulum d) Outer mitochondrial membrane

Feedback:
The membranes of the endoplasmic reticulum form a single interconnected system. The outer
mitochondrial membrane surrounds a discrete organelle.

25. Hemidesmosomes and desmosomes are both connected to microfilaments called

tonofilaments.

a) True b) False

Feedback:
Correct: hemidesmosomes and desmosomes are both connected to intermediate fibres called
tonofilaments.

26. Which of the following apply to intercellular junctions?

a) The three major adhesive junctions of animal cells are adherens junctions, desmosomes and
hemidesmosomes.

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Cell Biology Exercise
b) Desmosomes and hemidesmosomes connect epithelial cells to their basement membrane and
adjacent cells respectively.

c) Gap junctions and plasmodesmata are homologous structures.

d) The junctional complexes of gastrointestinal enterocytes ensure that nutrients are only absorbed
through the spaces between the cells, which prevents them absorbing potentially harmful substances.

Feedback:
The junctional complexes of gastrointestinal enterocytes ensure that nutrients can only absorbed
through the cells and not via the spaces between cells.

27. The ___ ________ or _______ ___________ of Escherichia coli cells is able to actively
accumulate lactose into their cytoplasm.
lac permease or lactose transporter
Feedback:
The lac permease or lactose transporter of Escherichia coli cells is able to actively accumulate
lactose into their cytoplasm.

28. Within the nucleus, individual chromosomes are thought to occupy discrete territories. Which of
the following is most likely to promote this segregation?

a) Nuclear lamina b) Nuclear pore complexes

c) Nuclear matrix/scaffold d) Intermediate fibres

Feedback:
Intermediate fibres are the supportive elements of the cytoskeleton in the cytosol. The lamins of the
nuclear lamina are also a type of intermediate fibre.
29. Which of the following apply to the cytoskeleton? Please select all that apply.
a) It occupies the general nucleoplasm as well as occurring in the cytosol.

b) It is typically composed of three types of fibrous protein systems.

c) It consists in part of networks of fibrous proteins.

d) Its protein components have been highly conserved throughout evolution.

Feedback:
The eukaryotic cytoskeleton occurs in all cell types and therefore has been highly conserved during
evolution. It does not occur in general nucleoplasm, although elements of it can be thought to form

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 Cell Biology Exercise
the nuclear lamina that lines the inner face of the inner nuclear membrane. The cytoskeleton is
typically composed of three types of fibrous protein systems (microfilaments, intermediate fibres and
microtubules) that form bundles or networks throughout the cytosol.
30. Centrosomes and basal bodies are both types of microtubule-organizing centres.

a) True b) False

Feedback:
Centrosomes organize the microtubules of the cytoskeleton during interphase and during mitosis and
meiosis. Basal bodies organize the microtubules in eukaryotic cilia and flagella.

31. Which of the following statements is correct?

a) All minimyosins move cargoes along microtubules towards their negative (-) ends.

b) Kinesins move cargoes along a microtubule towards its negative (-) end.

c) Dyneins move cargoes along a microtubule towards its positive (+) end.

d) Kinesins and dyneins move cargoes along a microtubule towards the positive (+) and negative (-)
ends respectively.

Feedback:
This is correct: kinesins and dyneins move cargoes along a microtubule towards the positive (+) and
negative (-) ends respectively.
32. Which of the following form part of the endomembrane system? Please select all that apply.

a) Outer chloroplast membrane b) Lysosomal membrane

c) Golgi apparatus d) Outer hydrogenosome membrane

Feedback:
The endomembrane system is an interconnected system of single membranes comprized largely of the
various forms endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus. The single membranes surrounding discrete
organelles, for example lysosomes, and the outer membranes of chloroplasts and mitochondria and
their evolutionary descendents hydrogenosomes and mitosomes, do not form part of the system.

33. Lysosomes were discovered by de Duve and co-workers following leakage of alkaline
phosphatase activity on prolonged storage of animal tissue homogenates in the cold.

a) True b) False

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 Cell Biology Exercise
Feedback:

Correct: lysosomes were discovered by de Duve and co-workers following leakage

of acid phosphatase activity on prolonged storage of animal tissue homogenates in the cold.

34. Which of the following statements are correct? Please select all that apply.

a) Lysosomes are formed from Golgi-derived coatomer-coated vesicles.

b) Lysosomal enzyme transport vesicles are able to fuse with late endosomes.

c) The lowering of the pH in lysosomes, autophagosomes and phagosomes by an ATP-driven

H+ pump in their membranes lowers their luminal pH and activates their digestive enzymes.

d) The proteins of the lysosomal membrane are heavily glycosylated on their cytosolic surface
giving them a dense oligosaccharide layer that protects the membrane from digestion.

Feedback:
Lysosomes are formed when Golgi-derived clathrin-coated vesicles called lysosomal enzyme transport
vesicles fuse with late endosome. The pH in lysosomes, autophagosomes and phagosomes is lowered
by an ATP-driven H+ pump in their membranes, which activates their digestive enzymes.
Oligosaccharides of the glycoproteins of lysosomal membranes form a dense layer that lines the inner
surface of the membrane and protects it from digestion.

35. Large central vacuoles that occupy most of the cytoplasm are restricted to mature algal and plant
cells.

a) True b) False

Feedback:

Vacuoles are found in many unicellular organisms and fungal cells in addition to mature algal and
plant cells.

36. Which of the following statements concerning plant vacuoles are correct? Please select all that
apply.

a) The membrane surrounding the central vacuole of mature plant cells is called the tonoplast.

b) The fluid contained within the central vacuole of mature plant cells is called the cell sap.

c) The turgor pressure within a mature plant cell is maintained by the fluid cytosol.

d) Components of the central vacuole of mature plant cells are synthesized in the rough
endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus.

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 Cell Biology Exercise
Feedback:
The central vacuole of mature plant cells is limited by a membrane called the tonoplast, which
encloses a fluid called the cell sap. The cell sap contains sufficient solutes to produce an osmotic
pressure that is largely responsible for maintaining the turgor pressure that prevents the cytoplasm
from collapsing. Components of the vacuole are synthesized largely by the rough endoplasmic
reticulum and Golgi apparatus.
37. Which of the following is correct?
a) Chloroplasts, like mitochondria and nuclei, have surrounding outer membranes that are
perforated by porins.

b) All chloroplasts contain grana.

c) Chloroplast ribosomes can synthesize all chloroplast proteins.

d) Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase is concentrated in the stroma of chloroplasts.

Feedback:
Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase is concentrated in the stroma of chloroplasts
where it catalyzes the first step of the Calvin cycle.

38. Which of the following statements is correct?

a) In most types of cells, glycolysis occurs only in the cytosol.

b) Glycolysis splits glycogen into two molecules of pyruvate that enter the mitochondrion.

c) Glycolysis, like the tricarboxylic acid cycle, produces ATP

d) One turn of the tricarboxylic acid cycle produces three molecules of FADH 2 and of NADH.

Feedback:
One turn of the tricarboxylic acid cycle produces three molecules of NADH and of FADH 2.

39. Mitochondria use fuel molecules, such as pyruvate and fatty acids, imported from the cytosol to
directly drive chemiosmosis and form ATP.

a) True b) False

Feedback:
Correct: fuel molecules such as pyruvate and fatty acids are imported from the cytosol but they are
oxidized in the mitochondrial matrix. The reduced coenzymes, NADH and FADH2, produced are
then oxidized to drive chemiosmosis resulting in the production of ATP.
40.Which of the following activities are characteristics of peroxisomes? Please select all that apply.
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Cell Biology Exercise
a) Produce dihydrogen (H2) b) Catalase activity

c) Degradation of very long chain fatty acids d) Posses a glyoxylate cycle.

Feedback:
Catalase activity and the degradation of very long chain fatty acids are characteristic features of
peroxisomes. The production of dihydrogen (H2) and the possession of a glyoxylate cycle are features
of hydrogenosomes and glyoxysomes respectively.

41. Which of the following statements apply to both eukaryotic cell walls and animal cell
extracellular matrices? Please select all that apply.

a) They are inflexible structures that support cells.

b) They are built to a common overall structure that can be described as 'fibres in a matrix'.

c) Their protein components are synthesized by ribosomes of the rough endoplasmic reticulum.

d) They limit the diffusion of ions and small molecules into the cell.

Feedback:
Both eukaryotic cell walls and animal cell extracellular matrices (ECMs) have similar 'fibres in a
matrix' structures. This provides a rigid support for plant cells but are more flexible in the case of
animal ECMs, while being sufficiently porous as to not hinder the uptake of ions and small
molecules by the cell. The proteins of both are formed by ribosomes of the rough endoplasmic
reticulum and are then secreted from the cell.

42. Bacterial and eukaryotic cell walls have the same general function.

a) True b) False

Feedback:
The cell walls of bacteria and eukaryotic cells have the same general function of preventing cell lysis
in hypotonic environments.
43.Which of the following statements apply to cellulose? Please select all that apply.

a) It is a polyglucose containing á,14 glycosidic bonds.

b) It is a major component of plant cell walls

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Cell Biology Exercise
c) It is a polyglucose containing glycosidic bonds.

d) It is a major component of Gram negative cell walls.

Feedback:
Cellulose is a polymer of glucose residues linked together by â,14 glycosidic bonds. It is a major
component of plant cell walls.

44. Which of the following eukaryotic cell wall components are nitrogenous compounds?

a) Lignin b) Cellulose c) Chitin d) â,13 glucans

Feedback:
â,13 glucans are polymers of â glucose, which does not contain nitrogen.

45. Which of the following apply to the synthesis of plant cell walls? Please select all that apply.

a) Cellulose microfibrils are formed by cellulose synthase complexes called rosettes

b) Cellulose is synthesized using cytoplasmic ATP-glucose and deposited as microfibrils directly on

the outer surface of the plasma membrane.

c) Matrix polysaccharides of plant cell walls are synthesized in the Golgi apparatus and exported to
the cell wall by endocytosis.

d) The direction of cellulose microfibril growth is determined by the orientation of arrays of

microtubules lying just below the plasma membrane.

Feedback:
Cellulose microfibrils are synthesized by cellulose synthase complexes called rosettes, which are
found within the plasma membrane. Their substrate is cytoplasmic UDP-glucose but the cellulose
microfibrils formed are deposited on the outer surface of the membrane in a direction determined by
the orientation of arrays of microtubules lying just below the plasma membrane. In contrast, matrix
polysaccharides are synthesized in the Golgi apparatus and exported to the cell wall by exocytosis.

46.Which of the following are mineralized biological structures/mateials? Please select all that apply.

a) Glycosaminoglycans b) Bone c) Pectins d) Diatom cell walls

Feedback:
The negative charges of glycosaminoglycans of animal extracellular matrices and the pectins of plant
cell walls attract numerous counter ions, which are largely Na+ and Ca2+ respectively. However, these
are held in solution and not deposited. In contrast, the cell walls of diatoms are impregnated or
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Cell Biology Exercise
mineralized with silicates, while bone is a modified extracellular matrix heavily calcified with
calcium phosphate in the form of crystalline hydroxyapatite.

47.All viruses are obligate parasites of cells and therefore all viruses cause disease.

a) True b) False

Feedback:Although all viruses are obligate parasites, the majority do not cause disease.

48. Which of the following is the correct sequence for setting up a microscope on high power?

A. Focus on low power with the coarse adjustment, move the high power objective in line with the
specimen, refocus on high power with the fine adjustment

B. Focus on low power with the fine adjustment, move the high power objective in line with the
specimen, refocus on high power with the coarse adjustment

C. Focus on high power with the coarse adjustment, refocus on high power with the fine
adjustment

D. None of the above

explanation

Focusing Specimens:
 Plug your microscope into the power supply and switch on the illuminator.
 Always start with the stage as low as possible and using scanning objective (4x). ...
 Once you've focused using the scanning objective, switch to the low power objective
(10x). ...
 Now switch to the high power objective (40x).

49. Which of the following microscopy techniques relies on the specimen interfering with the
wavelength of light to produce a high contrast image without the need for dyes or any damage to the
sample?

a) Conventional bright field light microscopy

b) Phase contrast microscopy
c) Electron microscopy
d) Fluorescenc

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Cell Biology Exercise

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