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Pre AP Biology -CELLS 2.3 Specialized Cells- MCQ Exam Style Questions -New Syllabus

Pre AP Biology -CELLS 2.3 Specialized Cells- MCQ Exam Style Questions – New Syllabus 2025-2026

Pre AP Biology -CELLS 2.3 Specialized Cells- MCQ Exam Style Questions – Pre AP Biology – per latest Pre AP Biology Syllabus.

Pre AP Biology – MCQ Exam Style Questions- All Topics

Question

Which of these structures is absent in a eudicot leaf?
a. pericycle
b. vascular bundle
c. spongy mesophyll
d. palisade mesophyll
▶️ Answer/Explanation
Detailed solution

The correct answer is a. pericycle.
In eudicot leaves, the ground tissue is differentiated into palisade and spongy mesophyll.
Vascular bundles (veins) are present to transport water and nutrients throughout the lamina.
The pericycle is a specific layer of cells found in roots and stems, not in leaves.
In roots, the pericycle is responsible for the initiation of lateral roots.
In leaves, the vascular bundles are typically surrounded by a bundle sheath rather than a pericycle.
Therefore, the pericycle is the structure absent in the internal anatomy of a leaf.

Question

Plants are said to have a dendritic pattern of growth. Which of these statements defines a “dendritic growth pattern”?
a. Both primary and secondary growth occurs.
b. The plant continues to grow throughout its lifetime.
c. Both above- and below-ground parts are highly branched.
d. A plant can lose individual roots, leaves, etc., and continue to function.
▶️ Answer/Explanation
Detailed solution

The term dendritic is derived from the Greek word dendron, meaning “tree.”
In biology, this refers to a branching structure similar to the limbs of a tree or the roots below.
Unlike animals, plants expand their surface area by repeated bifurcation or branching.
This allows them to maximize sunlight absorption above ground and nutrient uptake below ground.
Therefore, the definition centers on the highly branched nature of the plant organs.
The correct option is c.

Question

Suppose that you isolate one cell from a starfish embryo, and you continue culturing it in the lab, separate from the original embryo. What is most likely going to happen with the embryo and the isolated cell?
a. The original embryo will develop into a starfish, but the isolated cell will die.
b. The cell will develop into a starfish, but the original embryo will die.
c. Each will develop into a starfish.
d. Both will die.
▶️ Answer/Explanation
Detailed solution

c. Each will develop into a starfish.

– Starfish embryos undergo regulative development in early stages.

– Cells at the blastula stage are totipotent, meaning they can form a complete organism.

– Isolating one cell allows it to divide and differentiate independently into a full starfish.

– The original embryo can compensate for the lost cell through cell rearrangement and proliferation.

– This phenomenon is observed in echinoderms like starfish and sea urchins.

– Thus, both the isolated cell and the remaining embryo develop into complete starfish.

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