Cell: The Unit of Life NEET PYQReal NEET & AIPMT 2005–2021 questions, year-tagged, with solutions
By the RankUp team, founded by Dr. Deepak Sahu (MBBS Gold Medalist, NEET PG AIR 1731) · Updated
Every Cell: The Unit of Life question from the NEET & AIPMT papers on this site (2005–2021), newest first. Each is tagged with its paper. Tap an option to check your answer and read the explanation.
- Chapter
- NCERT Class 11
- PYQs here
- 76
- Papers
- NEET & AIPMT 2005–2021
- In the app
- 531+ questions
Cell: The Unit of Life previous year questions
76 questions. Tap an option to check your answer.
Q1NEET 2021
Which of the following is an incorrect statement ?
Not quite — the answer is A.
Mature sieve tube elements lose their nucleus and are controlled by the companion cells, so saying they have a conspicuous nucleus is incorrect. Microbodies occur in both plant and animal cells, the perinuclear space separates the two nuclear membranes, and nuclear pores allow two-way traffic of RNA and proteins.
Q2NEET 2021
When the centromere is situated in the middle of two equal arms of chromosomes, the chromosome is referred as :
Not quite — the answer is A.
A chromosome whose centromere lies in the middle, giving two equal arms, is metacentric. A sub-metacentric centromere lies slightly away from the middle, giving one shorter and one longer arm.
Q3NEET 2021
Match List - I with List - II. List - I | List - II (a) Cristae | (i) Primary constriction in chromosome (b) Thylakoids | (ii) Disc-shaped sacs in Golgi apparatus (c) Centromere | (iii) Infoldings in mitochondria (d) Cisternae | (iv) Flattened membranous sacs in stroma of plastids Choose the correct answer from the options given below.
Not quite — the answer is C.
Cristae are infoldings of the inner mitochondrial membrane, thylakoids are flattened membranous sacs in the stroma of plastids, the centromere is the primary constriction of a chromosome, and cisternae are the disc-shaped sacs of the Golgi apparatus. Hence (a)-(iii), (b)-(iv), (c)-(i), (d)-(ii).
Q4NEET 2021
The organelles that are included in the endomembrane system are :
Not quite — the answer is B.
The endomembrane system is the group of organelles that work in coordination: endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi complex, lysosomes and vacuoles. Mitochondria, chloroplasts and peroxisomes are not part of it, and ribosomes have no membrane.
Q5NEET 2020 · Q16
Which of the following statements about inclusion bodies is incorrect?
Not quite — the answer is B.
Inclusion bodies are reserve materials such as phosphate granules, cyanophycean granules and glycogen granules lying free in the prokaryotic cytoplasm without any membrane. They play no part in ingesting food, which is the wrong statement.
Q6NEET 2020 · Q17
Which is the important site of formation of glycoproteins and glycolipids in eukaryotic cells?
Not quite — the answer is C.
The Golgi apparatus is the main site where glycoproteins and glycolipids are formed, as it adds sugars to proteins and lipids received from the ER. The ER makes and folds proteins and lipids, while peroxisomes and polysomes do not do this.
Q7NEET 2019 · Q94
The shorter and longer arms of a submetacentric chromosome are referred to as :
Not quite — the answer is B.
The short arm of a chromosome is called the p-arm (petite) and the long arm the q-arm. Writing them the other way round reverses the convention.
Q8NEET 2019 · Q110
Which of the following statements is not correct ?
Not quite — the answer is D.
Lysosomes are membrane-bound vesicles formed by packaging in the Golgi apparatus, not the endoplasmic reticulum. They do contain many acid hydrolases active at acidic pH.
Q9NEET 2019 · Q119
Which of the following pair of organelles does not contain DNA ?
Not quite — the answer is C.
Lysosomes and vacuoles are single-membrane bound organelles without their own DNA. Mitochondria and chloroplasts are semi-autonomous and carry their own circular DNA, so any pair containing them is wrong.
Q10NEET 2019 · Q133
Which of the following statements regarding mitochondria is incorrect ?
Not quite — the answer is B.
The electron transport chain enzymes are located in the inner mitochondrial membrane (on the cristae), not the outer membrane. The outer membrane is porous, the inner membrane forms cristae, and the matrix holds circular DNA and 70S ribosomes.
Q11NEET 2019 · Q173
The concept of "Omnis cellula-e cellula" regarding cell division was first proposed by :
Not quite — the answer is A.
Rudolf Virchow (1855) explained that cells divide and new cells arise from pre-existing cells (Omnis cellula-e cellula), modifying the cell theory. Schleiden and Schwann proposed the original cell theory but could not explain how new cells form.
Q12NEET 2018 · Q119
The Golgi complex participates in
Not quite — the answer is B.
The Golgi apparatus packages and modifies materials received from the ER and buds them off as secretory vesicles from its trans face. Bacteria have no Golgi, fatty acid breakdown occurs in mitochondria and peroxisomes, and amino acid activation occurs in the cytoplasm by aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases.
Q13NEET 2018 · Q121
Which of the following is true for nucleolus?
Not quite — the answer is D.
The nucleolus is a non-membrane-bound body in the nucleus where rRNA is actively synthesised. It is not membrane-bound, it disappears during cell division instead of forming the spindle, and larger, more numerous nucleoli occur in cells actively making proteins, not specifically in dividing cells.
Q14NEET 2018 · Q171
Select the incorrect match:
Not quite — the answer is D.
Polytene chromosomes occur in the salivary glands of insect larvae such as Drosophila; the giant chromosomes of amphibian oocytes are lampbrush chromosomes, which are diplotene bivalents. Submetacentric chromosomes look L-shaped and allosomes are the sex chromosomes, so those matches are correct.
Q15NEET 2018 · Q174
Many ribosomes may associate with a single mRNA to form multiple copies of a polypeptide simultaneously. Such strings of ribosomes are termed as
Not quite — the answer is C.
Several ribosomes translating the same mRNA together form a polysome (polyribosome), which makes many copies of the polypeptide at once. A nucleosome is a unit of DNA wound on a histone octamer, and a plastidome is the total plastid content of a cell.
Q16NEET 2017 · Q96
Which of the following cell organelles is responsible for extracting energy from carbohydrates to form ATP?
Not quite — the answer is D.
Mitochondria are the sites of aerobic respiration, where the energy of carbohydrates is extracted and stored as ATP; they are called the powerhouses of the cell. Chloroplasts trap light energy to make carbohydrates rather than break them down.
Q17NEET 2017 · Q112
Which among the following are the smallest living cells, known without a definite cell wall, pathogenic to plants as well as animals and can survive without oxygen?
Not quite — the answer is C.
Mycoplasmas have no cell wall, are the smallest known living cells (about 0.3 μm), can survive without oxygen, and many cause diseases in plants and animals. Bacillus, Pseudomonas and Nostoc all have cell walls and are much larger.
Q18NEET 2017 · Q119
Which of the following components provides sticky character to the bacterial cell?
Not quite — the answer is D.
The glycocalyx, the outermost envelope as a loose slime layer or a thick capsule, makes the bacterial cell sticky. The cell wall gives shape and support, and bacteria have no nuclear membrane at all.
Q19NEET 2017 (Gujarati paper) · Q47
The correct sequence of involvement of cell organelles in secretion of proteins from the cell is:
Not quite — the answer is A.
mRNA made in the nucleus is translated on ribosomes attached to the ER; the protein enters the ER lumen, is passed to the Golgi for modification and packaging, and leaves in secretory vesicles that fuse with the plasma membrane. Lysosomes are not on the secretory route, and ribosomes come before (not after) the ER in the sequence.
Q20NEET 2017 (Gujarati paper) · Q63
The type of ribosomes is same in:
Not quite — the answer is C.
Prokaryotes, mitochondria and chloroplasts all have 70S ribosomes, which supports the endosymbiotic origin of these organelles. The eukaryotic cytoplasm and rough ER carry 80S ribosomes, so any grouping that mixes cytoplasm with mitochondria or chloroplasts is wrong.
Q21NEET 2017 (Gujarati paper) · Q77
Reserved material in prokaryotic cells is stored as:
Not quite — the answer is A.
Prokaryotes store reserve materials such as phosphate granules, cyanophycean granules and glycogen granules in the cytoplasm as inclusion bodies, which are not bounded by membranes. The mesosome is an infolding of the plasma membrane, a polysome is a chain of ribosomes on mRNA, and the basal body anchors the flagellum.
Q22NEET 2017 (Gujarati paper) · Q98
A complex of ribosomes attached to a single strand of mRNA is known as:
Not quite — the answer is B.
Several ribosomes translating the same mRNA together form a polyribosome (polysome). A polypeptide is the product of translation and an Okazaki fragment is a short piece of lagging-strand DNA made in replication.
Q23NEET 2017 (Gujarati paper) · Q105
Which of the following pathways is involved for packaging of secretory proteins?
Not quite — the answer is B.
Proteins made on the RER reach the receiving cis (forming) face of the Golgi, move through the cisternae and leave from the trans (maturing) face in secretory vesicles. Entering at the trans face reverses the polarity of the Golgi.
Q24NEET 2016 Phase 2 · Q104
Select the mismatch.
Not quite — the answer is B.
A large central vacuole is a feature of mature plant cells; animal cells have small vacuoles or none. Gas vacuoles do occur in blue-green, purple and green photosynthetic bacteria, protists are eukaryotes and methanogens are prokaryotic archaebacteria.
Q25NEET 2016 Phase 2 · Q105
Select the wrong statement.
Not quite — the answer is B.
Bacterial motility comes from flagella; pili and fimbriae are surface outgrowths that help in attachment to surfaces or host tissues (and pili in conjugation), not in movement. The other statements about peptidoglycan walls, non-flagellated cyanobacteria and wall-less Mycoplasma are correct.
Q26NEET 2016 Phase 2 · Q106
A cell organelle containing hydrolytic enzymes is
Not quite — the answer is A.
Lysosomes are membrane-bound vesicles from the Golgi that are rich in acid hydrolases such as lipases, proteases and carbohydrases. Ribosomes make proteins, mesosomes are infoldings of the bacterial membrane, and microsomes are ER fragments formed when cells are homogenised.
Q27NEET 2016 Phase 1 · Q101
Mitochondria and chloroplast are: (a) semi-autonomous organelles. (b) formed by division of pre-existing organelles and they contain DNA but lack protein synthesizing machinery. Which one of the following options is correct?
Not quite — the answer is C.
Mitochondria and chloroplasts are semi-autonomous: they arise by division of pre-existing organelles and have their own circular DNA. They also have their own 70S ribosomes, so they do possess protein-synthesising machinery, which makes the second statement false.
Q28NEET 2016 Phase 1 · Q109
Microtubules are the constituents of:
Not quite — the answer is B.
Microtubules (tubulin polymers) form the spindle fibres, the triplet fibrils of centrioles and the 9+2 axoneme of cilia. Peroxisomes are membrane-bound vesicles, and chromatin and nucleosomes are made of DNA and histones, not microtubules.
Q29NEET 2016 Phase 1 · Q136
Which one of the following cell organelles is enclosed by a single membrane?
Not quite — the answer is C.
Lysosomes are single-membrane vesicles containing hydrolytic enzymes. Mitochondria, chloroplasts and the nucleus (nuclear envelope) are all bounded by a double membrane.
Q30NEET 2016 Phase 1 · Q139
Water soluble pigments found in plant cell vacuoles are:
Not quite — the answer is D.
Anthocyanins are water-soluble flavonoid pigments dissolved in the vacuolar cell sap, giving red, purple and blue colours. Chlorophylls, carotenoids and xanthophylls are fat-soluble pigments located in plastids.
Q31AIPMT 2015
Nuclear envelope is a derivative of:
Not quite — the answer is A.
The outer membrane of the nuclear envelope is continuous with the rough endoplasmic reticulum and also carries ribosomes, so it is regarded as derived from rough ER. Microtubules are protein structures, not membranes.
Q32AIPMT 2015
The structures that are formed by stacking of organized flattened membranous sacs in the chloroplasts are:
Not quite — the answer is C.
Thylakoids are flattened membranous sacs that are stacked like coins to form grana. Stroma lamellae are the flat tubules joining grana, and cristae are folds of the inner mitochondrial membrane.
Q33AIPMT 2015
DNA is not present in:
Not quite — the answer is C.
Ribosomes are made of rRNA and proteins and contain no DNA. Mitochondria and chloroplasts have their own circular DNA, and the nucleus holds the chromosomal DNA.
Q34AIPMT 2015
Select the correct matching in the following pairs:
Not quite — the answer is C.
Smooth ER is the main site of lipid synthesis, including steroid hormones in animal cells. Rough ER carries ribosomes and makes proteins; fatty acid oxidation happens in mitochondria and peroxisomes.
Q35AIPMT 2015
Which one of the following is not an inclusion body found in prokaryotes?
Not quite — the answer is A.
Inclusion bodies in prokaryotes are stores of reserve material lying free in the cytoplasm, such as phosphate granules, cyanophycean granules and glycogen granules. A polysome is a chain of ribosomes translating one mRNA, not a storage body.
Q36AIPMT 2015
The chromosomes in which centromere is situated close to one end are:
Not quite — the answer is C.
In an acrocentric chromosome the centromere lies close to one end, giving one very short and one very long arm. A telocentric chromosome has the centromere at the very end, and a sub-metacentric one has it slightly away from the middle.
Q37AIPMT 2014
Which structures perform the function of mitochondria in bacteria?
Not quite — the answer is C.
Mesosomes are infoldings of the bacterial plasma membrane thought to bear respiratory enzymes, so they are described as performing the role of mitochondria. Ribosomes make proteins, the nucleoid holds the DNA, and the cell wall gives shape and protection.
Q38AIPMT 2014
The solid linear cytoskeletal elements having a diameter of 6 nm and made up of a single type of monomer are known as:
Not quite — the answer is A.
Microfilaments are solid filaments about 6 nm thick made of a single kind of monomer, actin. Microtubules are hollow tubes of tubulin about 25 nm wide, and intermediate filaments (such as lamins) are about 10 nm and built from varied proteins.
Q39AIPMT 2014
The osmotic expansion of a cell kept in water is chiefly regulated by:
Not quite — the answer is A.
The large central vacuole contains cell sap with dissolved solutes; it controls the osmotic entry of water and so the expansion and turgidity of a plant cell kept in water. Plastids, ribosomes and mitochondria have no such osmotic role.
Q40AIPMT 2014
Match the following and select the correct answer: (a) Centriole (b) Chlorophyll (c) Cristae (d) Ribozymes — (i) Infoldings in mitochondria (ii) Thylakoids (iii) Nucleic acids (iv) Basal body cilia or flagella
Not quite — the answer is D.
Centrioles form the basal bodies of cilia and flagella, chlorophyll is present in thylakoids, cristae are the infoldings of the inner mitochondrial membrane, and ribozymes are catalytic nucleic acids (RNA). Only the option giving exactly these four pairings is correct.
Q41AIPMT 2014
The motile bacteria are able to move by:
Not quite — the answer is A.
Motile bacteria move by flagella, thin filamentous extensions of the cell wall and membrane. Pili and fimbriae are surface structures for attachment and conjugation, not locomotion, and bacteria have no cilia.
Q42NEET 2013
A major site for synthesis of lipids is
Not quite — the answer is B.
The smooth endoplasmic reticulum, which lacks ribosomes, is the major site of lipid (including steroid) synthesis. Rough ER bears ribosomes and is the site of protein synthesis.
Q43NEET 2013
The Golgi complex plays a major role
Not quite — the answer is D.
The Golgi apparatus modifies proteins received from the ER and is the site of formation of glycoproteins and glycolipids. Trapping light belongs to chloroplasts, digestion to lysosomes and energy transfer to mitochondria.
Q44AIPMT 2012 Mains
Which one of the following structures is an organelle within an organelle ?
Not quite — the answer is A.
Mitochondria and chloroplasts contain their own 70S ribosomes, so ribosomes occur as an organelle within an organelle. Peroxisomes and ER lie free in the cytoplasm, and mesosomes are infoldings of the bacterial plasma membrane.
Q45AIPMT 2012 Mains
Which one of the following cellular parts is correctly described ?
Not quite — the answer is A.
Thylakoids are flattened membranous sacs stacked into grana inside chloroplasts. Chloroplast ribosomes are the smaller 70S type and cytoplasmic ones are 80S, lysosomes work best at an acidic pH of about 5, and centrioles organise spindles rather than making RNA.
Q46AIPMT 2012 Prelims
Ribosomal RNA is actively synthesized in
Not quite — the answer is C.
The nucleolus is the site of active ribosomal RNA synthesis. Ribosomes are made of rRNA but do not synthesise it, and lysosomes are digestive vesicles.
Q47AIPMT 2012 Prelims
Which one of the following does not differ in E. coli and Chlamydomonas?
Not quite — the answer is A.
Both the prokaryote E. coli and the eukaryotic alga Chlamydomonas have a similar lipid–protein plasma membrane. Their ribosomes (70S versus 80S cytoplasmic), chromosome organisation (naked circular DNA versus chromatin) and cell wall chemistry (peptidoglycan versus cellulose) all differ.
Q48AIPMT 2012 Prelims
What is true about ribosomes ?
Not quite — the answer is C.
Ribosomes are made of ribosomal RNA and proteins. Prokaryotic ribosomes are 70S (not 80S), ribosomes occur in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes, and they are not introns.
Q49AIPMT 2012 Prelims
Select the correct statement from the following regarding cell membrane
Not quite — the answer is A.
The fluid mosaic model of the cell membrane was proposed by Singer and Nicolson in 1972. Na⁺ and K⁺ are moved by active transport (Na⁺/K⁺ pump), proteins form about half (not 60–70%) of the human RBC membrane, and lipid polar heads face outwards with the tails inside.
Q50AIPMT 2011 Mains
Which one of the following is not considered as a part of the endomembrane system?
Not quite — the answer is D.
The endomembrane system comprises the ER, Golgi complex, lysosomes and vacuoles, whose functions are coordinated. Peroxisomes, like mitochondria and chloroplasts, work independently of this system and are not counted in it.
Q51AIPMT 2011 Prelims
Important site for formation of glycoproteins and glycolipids is
Not quite — the answer is C.
The Golgi apparatus packages and modifies proteins and lipids coming from the ER, and it is the main site where glycoproteins and glycolipids are formed. Lysosomes are digestive vesicles budded from the Golgi, not the site of glycosylation.
Q52AIPMT 2011 Prelims
Peptide synthesis inside a cell takes place in
Not quite — the answer is A.
Peptide bonds are formed on ribosomes during translation. Chloroplasts and mitochondria do contain their own ribosomes, but the synthesis there still happens on those ribosomes, and chromoplasts are pigment-storing plastids.
Q53AIPMT 2011 Prelims
In eubacteria, a cellular component that resembles eukaryotic cell is
Not quite — the answer is B.
The bacterial plasma membrane is a lipid bilayer with proteins, structurally similar to the eukaryotic membrane. The bacterial cell wall is made of peptidoglycan, there is no true nucleus (only a nucleoid), and bacterial ribosomes are 70S rather than the 80S of the eukaryotic cytoplasm.
Q54AIPMT 2010 Mains · Q44
An elaborate network of filamentous proteinaceous structures present in the cytoplasm which helps in the maintenance of cell shape is called :
Not quite — the answer is D.
The cytoskeleton is a network of protein filaments (microtubules, microfilaments and intermediate filaments) in the cytoplasm that gives mechanical support, maintains cell shape and helps in motility. The ER is a membrane system, not a protein filament network.
Q55AIPMT 2010 Prelims · Q110
The plasma membrane consists mainly of
Not quite — the answer is C.
According to Singer and Nicolson's fluid mosaic model, the membrane is a quasi-fluid lipid bilayer with proteins embedded in it as integral and peripheral proteins. The bilayer is made of phospholipids, not proteins or carbohydrates.
Q56AIPMT 2010 Prelims · Q111
Which one of the following structures between two adjacent cells is an effective transport pathway?
Not quite — the answer is B.
Plasmodesmata are cytoplasmic strands that cross the cell walls of neighbouring plant cells, connecting their cytoplasm into a continuous symplast for transport. The plasmalemma surrounds a single cell, and plastoquinone is an electron carrier in photosynthesis.
Q57AIPMT 2010 Prelims · Q112
Which one of the following has its own DNA?
Not quite — the answer is B.
Mitochondria have their own circular double-stranded DNA and 70S ribosomes, so they are semi-autonomous. Peroxisomes, dictyosomes (Golgi) and lysosomes have no DNA of their own.
Q58AIPMT 2010 Prelims · Q113
The main arena of various types of activities of a cell is
Not quite — the answer is D.
NCERT describes the cytoplasm as the main arena of cellular activities, since most metabolic reactions take place there. The nucleus controls the cell, but most of the cell's chemical work happens in the cytoplasm.
Q59AIPMT 2010 Prelims · Q115
Algae have cell wall made up of
Not quite — the answer is B.
NCERT states that the algal cell wall is made of cellulose, galactans, mannans and minerals like calcium carbonate. Cellulose, hemicellulose and pectins together describe the wall of other (higher) plants.
Q60AIPMT 2010 Prelims · Q116
Membrane-bound organelles are absent in
Not quite — the answer is C.
Streptococcus is a bacterium, a prokaryote, so it has no membrane-bound organelles. Plasmodium (protist), Saccharomyces (yeast) and Chlamydomonas (alga) are eukaryotes with nuclei, mitochondria and other organelles.
Q61AIPMT 2009 Prelims · Q83
There is no DNA in:
Not quite — the answer is A.
Mature human (mammalian) RBCs lose their nucleus and have no mitochondria, so they contain no DNA. An enucleated ovum still has mitochondrial DNA, and a sperm and hair root cells have nuclei.
Q62AIPMT 2009 Prelims · Q95
Plasmodesmata are:
Not quite — the answer is C.
Plasmodesmata are cytoplasmic strands passing through the cell walls that connect the cytoplasm of neighbouring plant cells. The cementing layer between cells is the middle lamella, made of calcium pectate, not lignin.
Q63AIPMT 2009 Prelims · Q104
Cytoskeleton is made up of:
Not quite — the answer is C.
The cytoskeleton is a network of protein filaments — microtubules (tubulin), microfilaments (actin) and intermediate filaments — in the cytoplasm. Cellulose microfibrils are part of the plant cell wall, outside the cytoplasm.
Q64AIPMT 2009 Prelims · Q139
Middle lamella is composed mainly of:
Not quite — the answer is B.
NCERT states that the middle lamella is a layer mainly of calcium pectate that holds neighbouring plant cells together. Muramic acid is found in bacterial cell walls, and hemicellulose is part of the primary wall.
Q65AIPMT 2008 Prelims · Q111
Vacuole in a plant cell
Not quite — the answer is C.
The plant vacuole is bounded by a single membrane, the tonoplast, and holds water, sap, excretory products and other materials not useful to the cell. Lipids are stored in oil bodies, not the vacuole, and the vacuole is not membrane-less.
Q66AIPMT 2008 Prelims · Q116
Keeping in view the 'fluid mosaic model' for the structure of cell membrane, which one of the following statements is correct w.r.t. the movement of lipids and proteins from one lipid monolayer to the other (described as flip-flop movement)?
Not quite — the answer is C.
Membrane lipids occasionally move from one leaflet to the other (transverse diffusion), though this is slow and rare. Proteins, with their large hydrophilic domains, cannot cross the hydrophobic core, so they move only laterally.
Q67AIPMT 2008 Prelims · Q117
In germinating seeds fatty acids are degraded exclusively in the
Not quite — the answer is C.
In fat-storing germinating seeds, beta-oxidation of fatty acids and the glyoxylate cycle take place in glyoxysomes, specialised microbodies that convert fat to sugar. In plants mitochondria do not carry out fatty acid beta-oxidation for this purpose.
Q68AIPMT 2008 Prelims · Q118
The two sub-units of ribosome remain united at a critical ion level of
Not quite — the answer is D.
Mg²⁺ ions hold the large and small ribosomal subunits together; when Mg²⁺ falls below a critical level the subunits dissociate. Calcium, copper and manganese do not play this role.
Q69AIPMT 2007 Prelims · Q120
Select the wrong statement from the following.
Not quite — the answer is A.
Thylakoids are found only in chloroplasts; mitochondria have cristae and a matrix but no thylakoid space, so this statement is wrong. Both organelles are double-membraned, contain their own DNA, and chloroplasts are generally larger than mitochondria.
Q70AIPMT 2007 Prelims · Q185
Which one of the following is not a constituent of cell membrane?
Not quite — the answer is B.
The cell membrane is built of a phospholipid bilayer with cholesterol, proteins and carbohydrate-bearing glycolipids and glycoproteins. Proline is a free amino acid; it occurs only as part of membrane proteins and is not a membrane component by itself.
Q71AIPMT 2006 Prelims · Q134
Which of the following statements regarding mitochondrial membrane is not correct ?
Not quite — the answer is B.
The electron transport chain enzymes lie in the inner mitochondrial membrane, which is folded into cristae; so the statement putting them in the outer membrane is incorrect. The outer membrane is porous and sieve-like.
Q72AIPMT 2006 Prelims · Q150
A major breakthrough in the studies of cells came with the development of electron microscope. This is because :
Not quite — the answer is A.
Electrons have a much shorter wavelength than light, so an electron microscope has far greater resolving power and shows fine cell structures. The option quoting 200–350 nm for the electron microscope swaps the values, and electron beams need very thin sections.
Q73AIPMT 2005 Prelims · Q101
The main organelle involved in modification and routing of newly synthesized proteins to their destinations is :
Not quite — the answer is B.
Proteins made on ribosomes attached to the rough endoplasmic reticulum enter its lumen, where they are folded, glycosylated and packed into vesicles for transport onward (via the Golgi) to their destinations. Mitochondria and chloroplasts make ATP and food, and lysosomes digest material; none of them sort and route new proteins.
Q74AIPMT 2005 Prelims · Q109
A student wishes to study the cell structure under a light microscope having 10X eyepiece and 45X objective. He should illuminate the object by which one of the following colours of light so as to get the best possible resolution ?
Not quite — the answer is C.
Resolving power improves as the wavelength gets shorter (the resolution limit is about 0.61λ/NA). Blue has the shortest wavelength of the colours listed, so it gives the finest resolution. Red has the longest wavelength and gives the poorest.
Q75AIPMT 2005 Prelims · Q145
Protein synthesis in an animal cell occurs :
Not quite — the answer is B.
Animal cells translate proteins on cytoplasmic 80S ribosomes (both free and ER-bound) and also on the 70S ribosomes inside mitochondria, which have their own DNA. The nucleolus assembles ribosomal subunits but does not make proteins.
Q76AIPMT 2005 Prelims · Q191
According to widely accepted "fluid mosaic model" cell membranes are semi-fluid, where lipids and integral proteins can diffuse randomly. In recent years, this model has been modified in several respects. In this regard, which of the following statements is incorrect?
Not quite — the answer is C.
Membrane proteins can move sideways within the bilayer but practically never flip from one face to the other. Their hydrophilic parts cannot cross the hydrophobic core, and this is why membranes stay asymmetric. Lipids can flip-flop slowly; proteins do not.
How often Cell: The Unit of Life came up
Questions from this chapter in each paper on this site.
- NEET 2021: 4
- NEET 2020: 2
- NEET 2019: 5
- NEET 2018: 4
- NEET 2017: 3
- NEET 2017 (Gujarati paper): 5
- NEET 2016 Phase 2: 3
- NEET 2016 Phase 1: 4
- AIPMT 2015: 6
- AIPMT 2014: 5
- NEET 2013: 2
- AIPMT 2012 Mains: 2
- AIPMT 2012 Prelims: 4
- AIPMT 2011 Mains: 1
- AIPMT 2011 Prelims: 3
- AIPMT 2010 Mains: 1
- AIPMT 2010 Prelims: 6
- AIPMT 2009 Prelims: 4
- AIPMT 2008 Prelims: 4
- AIPMT 2007 Prelims: 2
- AIPMT 2006 Prelims: 2
- AIPMT 2005 Prelims: 4
Keep going
PYQs show what NEET asks. For the full Cell: The Unit of Life bank (531+ questions with solutions), use the RankUp app.
