A fungal cell and a plant cell both have a cell wall, but the material making up the cell wall differs between the two cell types. Explain how the cell wall, vacuole and chloroplasts differ between a fungal cell and a plant cell.
Written & reviewed by James Millett — Biology (Imperial College London), PGCE Science (University of Cambridge).
Model answer (4 marks)
Plant cells have a rigid cell wall made of cellulose, whereas fungal cells have a cell wall composed of chitin.
Plant cells contain a large central vacuole that stores cell sap, provides turgor pressure and structural support; fungal cells normally lack a permanent vacuole.
Plant cells possess chloroplasts, the organelles where photosynthesis takes place; fungal cells do not have chloroplasts and therefore cannot photosynthesise, relying instead on external sources for nutrients.
Plant cells contain a large central vacuole that stores cell sap, provides turgor pressure and structural support; fungal cells normally lack a permanent vacuole.
Plant cells possess chloroplasts, the organelles where photosynthesis takes place; fungal cells do not have chloroplasts and therefore cannot photosynthesise, relying instead on external sources for nutrients.
Examiner tips
- Use the exact terms ‘cellulose’ and ‘chitin’ for the wall materials. Mention the central vacuole’s role in plants and its absence in fungi. State that chloroplasts are present in plants but absent in fungi, linking to photosynthesis.
- common_mistakes
- :
- Confusing the wall materials (e.g., saying both are cellulose). Forgetting that fungi lack a permanent vacuole. Saying fungi have chloroplasts or can photosynthesise.
Mark scheme (4 marks)
- The cell wall of a plant cell is made of cellulose, whereas the cell wall of a fungal cell is made of chitin.
- Plant cells contain a vacuole (which stores cell sap and supports the cell), whereas fungal cells do not have a (permanent) vacuole.
- Plant cells contain chloroplasts, which are the site of photosynthesis.
- Fungal cells do not contain chloroplasts, so they cannot photosynthesise / must obtain nutrients from other sources.
Key terms in this question
cell wall · vacuole · chloroplast
Related
- All Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Biology (4BI1) revision notes →
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- Decode the mark scheme abbreviations →
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