In an introductory survey of eukaryotic organelles and structures, which statement best describes the presence of flagella in plant and animal cells?

• A. Flagella are present in most plant cells for photosynthesis and absent from animal cells.
• B. Flagella are common in typical plant and animal somatic cells and are used primarily for intracellular transport.
• C. Flagella are generally absent from most plant cells, but are present in some animal cells such as sperm where they function in motility.
• D. Flagella are present in plant and animal cells only during mitosis to help separate chromosomes.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand what flagella are — they are whip-like structures that protrude from the cell surface and are primarily involved in cell movement or motility.
2. Step 2: Recall that in eukaryotic cells, flagella are not common in most plant cells because plants generally do not require motility; instead, they rely on other mechanisms like growth towards light for survival.
3. Step 3: Recognize that some animal cells, such as sperm cells, have flagella which enable them to swim and move, highlighting the role of flagella in motility in certain animal cells.
4. Step 4: Note that flagella are not involved in photosynthesis, so they are not present in plant cells for that purpose, nor are they typically present in most somatic cells of animals for intracellular transport.
5. Step 5: Understand that flagella are not structures used during mitosis for chromosome separation; that role is performed by the spindle apparatus made of microtubules.