[Campbell Biology P.826] Which of the following best describes asymmetrical cell division in... | Practice Question

Which of the following best describes asymmetrical cell division in plants, as exemplified by guard cell formation?

  • A: It results in two daughter cells of equal size but different chromosome numbers.
  • B: It leads to daughter cells with different developmental fates, often involving unequal cytoplasmic division.
  • C: It is a process where a cell divides into one large and one small cell, both destined to be undifferentiated epidermal cells.
  • D: It always involves the division of a "guard cell mother cell" perpendicular to the initial division.

Explanation

Asymmetrical cell division in plants, as seen in guard cell formation, involves an unequal division of cytoplasm, leading to daughter cells that differ in size and are destined for different developmental fates. One cell remains an undifferentiated epidermal cell, and the other becomes the guard cell "mother cell" which then divides to form the guard cells.