Which of the following statements are correct regarding the general difference between plant and animal-calls? 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:

Statement 1 is correct. Plant cells have a rigid cell wall made mainly of cellulose, which gives structural support. Animal cells lack a cell wall and have only the flexible plasma membrane.

Statement 2 is wrong. Every living cell, plant or animal, is bounded by a plasma membrane. It is the selectively permeable boundary, and in plants the cell wall sits outside it. So the claim that plant cells lack a plasma membrane is false.

Statement 3 is correct. A mature plant cell typically has a single large central vacuole that can occupy up to 90 percent of the cell volume. It stores water, maintains turgor pressure and helps in storage. Animal cells have small vacuoles or none that are prominent.

• Options A and B are eliminated because they include statement 2.
• Option D is eliminated because statement 2 is false.

Core concept: structural and functional differences between plant and animal cells. For Mains, this connects to cell biology basics in GS-III on biotechnology, and to plant physiology ideas like osmosis and turgor.

Trap: aspirants often accept statement 2 by assuming plant cells are fundamentally different in their membrane, when the only extra barrier in plants is the cell wall.