Question

When looking at plant and animal cells with an electron microscope, you notice that the plant cells have more Golgi membranes than the animal cells. How might you explain this?

Answer 1

Plant cells have more Golgi membranes due to their role in synthesizing cell wall polysaccharides and to support the cell wall turnover during growth and division, unlike animal cells that do not have cell walls.

Step-by-step explanation:

When observing plant cells and animal cells under an electron microscope and noting that plant cells have more Golgi membranes compared to animal cells, one could explain this by considering the unique functions and structures present in plant cells. Plant cells have a cell wall, chloroplasts, and often have larger vacuoles that require additional materials to be synthesized and transported, a task in which the Golgi apparatus plays a critical role. Specifically, in plants, the Golgi apparatus contains enzymes that synthesize some of the cell wall polysaccharides, and because plants have cell walls made of cellulose and require the constant turnover of cell wall materials during growth and cell division, it is likely that a higher number of Golgi membranes is needed to support these processes.