Cytoskeleton, cilia, flagella and centrosome — NEET & JEE Questions

Question 1 · difficulty L1 · recall

What is the typical microtubule arrangement in the axoneme of eukaryotic cilia and flagella?

• A. 9 + 2
• B. 9 + 0
• C. 8 + 2
• D. 13 + 0

Question 2 · difficulty L2 · understanding

What is a major role of the cytoskeleton in eukaryotic cells?

• A. Maintaining cell shape and supporting intracellular movement
• B. Storing genetic information
• C. Digesting macromolecules
• D. Synthesising ATP directly

Question 3 · difficulty L2 · understanding

The core of a eukaryotic cilium or flagellum, called the axoneme, shows a characteristic arrangement of microtubules described as

• A. 9 + 0, with nine triplets
• B. 9 + 2, with nine peripheral doublets and two central singlets
• C. 9 + 1, with nine doublets and one central tubule
• D. 2 + 9, with two peripheral and nine central tubules

Question 4 · difficulty L2 · understanding

The network of filamentous proteinaceous structures in the cytoplasm that provides mechanical support, motility and maintenance of cell shape is the

• A. endoplasmic reticulum
• B. plasma membrane
• C. cytoskeleton
• D. nucleoplasm

Question 5 · difficulty L3 · application

A cell loses functional microtubules. Which process would be most directly disrupted?

• A. Movement of chromosomes during cell division
• B. DNA base pairing
• C. Peptide bond formation at ribosomes
• D. Diffusion of oxygen across the membrane

Question 6 · difficulty L3 · application

A respiratory epithelial cell has many short surface projections that beat in a coordinated manner to move mucus. What are these projections?

• A. Cilia
• B. Flagella
• C. Microvilli
• D. Pseudopodia

Question 7 · difficulty L3 · application

A cell is treated with a drug that prevents centrioles from forming basal bodies. Which structure will the cell most directly fail to assemble?

• A. Ribosomes
• B. Mitochondria
• C. Nuclear pores
• D. Cilia and flagella

Question 8 · difficulty L3 · application

Two cells are examined: in the first, a hair-like structure is short and present in large numbers; in the second, a similar structure is long and present singly. The internal structure of both shows the same 9 + 2 pattern. What are the two structures, and what does the shared pattern show?

• A. Cilia and flagella; both are outgrowths of the plasma membrane with an axoneme built on the same plan
• B. Microvilli and pili; both are made of flagellin
• C. Bacterial flagella and cilia; both are built of tubulin
• D. Pseudopodia and cilia; both contain microfilaments

Question 9 · difficulty L4 · analysis

Structure X has nine peripheral microtubule triplets and no central pair, while structure Y has nine peripheral doublets surrounding two central microtubules. Which pairing is correct?

• A. X centriole, Y cilium or flagellum
• B. X cilium, Y centriole
• C. Both are centrioles
• D. Both are cilia

Question 10 · difficulty L4 · application

The two centrioles of a centrosome are compared with the axoneme of a flagellum. Which row is correct in every entry?

• A. Centriole: 9 doublets plus 2 central; axoneme: 9 triplets, no centre
• B. Centriole: 9 triplets, no central tubule, cartwheel with hub and spokes; axoneme: 9 doublets plus 2 central singlets, radial spokes, central sheath
• C. Both: 9 doublets, no central tubule, made of flagellin
• D. Centriole: 9 singlets and a hub; axoneme: 9 triplets and 2 central