What is the role of telomeres?
Correct answer B. Protecting the ends of chromosomes from erosion during replication
Topic / 67 questions
Cell Structure and Function MCQs
Cell Structure and Function MCQs are multiple-choice questions on the cell as the basic unit of life, covering cell theory, microscopy, the cell membrane, organelles, and the differences between plant, animal, prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Every question on MCQs360 shows the correct answer instantly, so you can check your knowledge of each structure as you revise.
- Biological Molecules 74
- Coordination and Control 72
- Biology Diagnostic 70
- Cell Structure and Function 67
- Biotechnology 65
- Reproduction 58
- Bioenergetics 55
- Circulation 50
- Inheritance 48
- Digestion 45
- Immunity 45
- Support and Movement 45
- Acellular Life (Viruses) 45
- Homeostasis 45
- Respiration and Gaseous Exchange 45
- Evolution 45
- Enzymes 45
- Cell Cycle 41
- Chromosome and DNA 40
- Biology Introduction 38
- Ecosystem 27
What is the function of nuclear pores?
Correct answer A. Allowing exchange of materials such as mRNA between nucleus and cytoplasm
Which structure is found in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells?
Correct answer D. Ribosomes
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Which structure is present in a typical animal cell but absent from cells of higher plants?
Correct answer A. Centrioles
Histone proteins bind tightly to DNA because they are rich in which type of amino acids?
Correct answer A. Positively charged amino acids such as lysine and arginine
What is a nucleosome made of?
Correct answer D. DNA wound around a core of eight histone molecules
How does euchromatin differ from heterochromatin?
Correct answer B. Euchromatin is loosely coiled and genetically active
What is the function of the centromere during cell division?
Correct answer D. It is the site where spindle fibres attach through the kinetochore
What is osmosis?
Correct answer C. Net movement of water from higher water potential to lower water potential through a partially permeable membrane
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Who proposed the fluid mosaic model of the plasma membrane in 1972?
Correct answer D. Singer and Nicolson
Which membrane model described a phospholipid bilayer sandwiched between two continuous layers of protein?
Correct answer D. Davson and Danielli model
In the fluid mosaic model, what does the word ‘mosaic’ refer to?
Correct answer B. Proteins scattered among the phospholipid molecules
What is the main role of cholesterol in animal cell membranes?
Correct answer D. Regulating membrane fluidity and stability
Which membrane components act mainly in cell-to-cell recognition?
Correct answer A. Glycoproteins and glycolipids
Which substance crosses the phospholipid bilayer most readily by simple diffusion?
Correct answer B. Oxygen
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Which feature distinguishes facilitated diffusion from active transport?
Correct answer A. Facilitated diffusion moves substances down a concentration gradient without using ATP
For each ATP molecule used, how does the sodium-potassium pump move ions?
Correct answer D. 3 Na⁺ out of the cell and 2 K⁺ into the cell
What happens to red blood cells placed in distilled water?
Correct answer B. They swell and burst (haemolysis)
What is observed when a plant cell is placed in a concentrated salt solution?
Correct answer A. The protoplast shrinks away from the cell wall
What name is given to the uptake of solid particles into a cell by engulfing them in a vacuole?
Correct answer A. Phagocytosis
About Cell Structure and Function MCQs
The topic opens with the history of cell biology, including Hooke, Schleiden, Schwann and Virchow, and with light and electron microscopy, magnification and resolution. Membrane questions cover the fluid mosaic model, the roles of phospholipids, proteins, cholesterol and glycoproteins, and transport processes such as osmosis, active transport and endocytosis. Organelle questions test the nucleus and nucleolus, endoplasmic reticulum, ribosomes, Golgi apparatus, lysosomes, mitochondria, plastids, centrioles and the cell wall. Further questions compare typical plant and animal cells and prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, and introduce chromosomes, their structure and chemical composition.
Key facts to remember
- Rudolf Virchow stated that all cells arise from pre-existing cells.
- Singer and Nicolson proposed the fluid mosaic model of the plasma membrane in 1972.
- Prokaryotic cells have 70S ribosomes, while the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells has 80S ribosomes.
- The bacterial cell wall is strengthened by peptidoglycan (murein), while the plant cell wall is made mainly of cellulose.
- The nucleolus is the site where ribosomal RNA is made and ribosome subunits are assembled.
- Centrioles are found in animal cells but are absent from the cells of higher plants.
Exams that include Cell Structure and Function MCQs
Pakistan
- MDCAT
- NUMS
- AKU
- FSc boards
India
- NEET
Bangladesh
- HSC
- Medical Admission Test
How to prepare for Cell Structure and Function MCQs
- Draw and label a typical animal cell and plant cell, then list the structures found in only one of them.
- Make a table of organelles with their structure, function and whether they have one, two or no membranes.
- Learn the scientists of cell theory in date order with the contribution of each.
- Compare prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells by nucleus, ribosomes, organelles, cell wall and DNA.
Frequently asked questions
Which exams ask Cell Structure and Function MCQs?
In Pakistan, Cell Structure and Function questions appear in MDCAT, the NUMS and AKU entry tests and FSc board papers. Students in India meet the same content in NEET, and in Bangladesh it is tested in HSC Biology and the Medical Admission Test.
What is the difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells?
Prokaryotic cells, such as bacteria, have no true nucleus or membrane-bound organelles, and their DNA is circular and lies free in the cytoplasm. Eukaryotic cells have a nucleus bounded by a nuclear envelope, membrane-bound organelles such as mitochondria, and larger 80S ribosomes.
Why are mitochondria called the powerhouse of the cell?
Mitochondria are the site of aerobic respiration, including the Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation, which produce most of the cell's ATP. Their inner membrane is folded into cristae, which increase the surface area for the enzymes of the electron transport chain.
Last reviewed October 2026