[Campbell Biology P.826] Which of the following statements accurately differentiates plant c... | Practice Question
Which of the following statements accurately differentiates plant cell expansion from animal cell growth?
A: Animal cell growth is primarily due to vacuole expansion, while plant cell growth is mainly by synthesizing protein-rich cytoplasm.
B: Plant cells achieve expansion mainly through water uptake into a large central vacuole, a metabolically inexpensive process, whereas animal cells grow by synthesizing cytoplasm.
C: Both plant and animal cells grow primarily by synthesizing protein-rich cytoplasm, but plant cells additionally use water uptake for structural support.
D: Plant cell expansion is driven by turgor pressure against a flexible cell wall, a mechanism absent in animal cells.
Explanation
The text states that animal cells grow mainly by synthesizing protein-rich cytoplasm, a metabolically expensive process. In contrast, growing plant cells achieve about 90% of their expansion through water uptake into a large central vacuole, which is a metabolically "cheap" way of filling space.