Question

In three to five sentences, explain why animal cells do not require a cell wall or a central vacuole for their functions.(4 points)

Short Answer Rubric (4 points)
Points Awarded Criteria
4
The answer is very clear.

The answer is fully supported by details.

There may be a few errors in grammar, usage, or mechanics. Errors do not interfere with meaning.

3
The answer is mostly clear.

The answer is supported by mostly relevant details.

There are a few errors in grammar, usage, or mechanics. Errors do not interfere with meaning.

2
The answer is somewhat clear.

Details are weak or not related.

There are some errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics. Errors interfere with meaning.

1
The answer is not clear.

There are few or no supporting details.

There are many errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics. Errors interfere with meaning.

0 The question is not answered.

Answer 1

Animal cells do not need a rigid cell wall or a large central vacuole because they use a flexible plasma membrane, an internal cytoskeleton, and an extracellular matrix for shape, support, and movement. A rigid cell wall would block the cell movements animals require (migration, phagocytosis, tissue remodeling), and the central vacuole’s roles in storage, waste breakdown, and turgor maintenance are handled by many small vesicles/lysosomes and by whole-organism systems (for example, osmoregulation by the kidneys). Because the cytoskeleton and ECM give sufficient structural integrity and internal organization, animal cells can carry out their functions without plant-like walls or a single large vacuole.