Which of the following statements are correct regarding the general difference between plant and animal cells ? 1. Plant cells have cellulose cell walls whilst animal cells do not. 2. Plant cells do not have plasma membrane unlike animal cells which do. 3. Mature plant cell has one large vacuole whilst animal cell has many small vacuoles. Select the correct answer using the code given below:

The correct answer is C, 1 and 3 only. Plant cells have a cellulose wall and one large central vacuole, but they do have a plasma membrane, just like animal cells.

Every living cell, plant or animal, is bounded by a plasma membrane, a thin, selectively permeable layer of lipids and proteins that controls what enters and leaves. In plant cells this membrane lies just inside a rigid cell wall made mainly of cellulose, which gives the cell its shape and protects it; animal cells have no cell wall. A mature plant cell has a large central vacuole filled with cell sap that can take up most of the cell's volume and keeps it firm, while animal cells have small, often temporary vacuoles, if any. Plant cells also have chloroplasts, and animal cells have centrioles.

A is wrong: statement 2 is false.

B is wrong: it includes statement 2 and leaves out statement 1.

D is wrong: plant cells do have a plasma membrane.

Exam tip: plant cell = cell wall + plasma membrane + large vacuole + chloroplasts; animal cell = plasma membrane only + centrioles + small vacuoles.