Question Details

Pick the odd one out in context of their surrounding membrane systems

Options

A

Mitochondria

B

Chloroplasts

C

Endoplasmic reticulum

D

Nucleus

Correct Answer :

Endoplasmic reticulum

Solution :

The correct option is Endoplasmic reticulum.

To understand why the Endoplasmic reticulum is the odd one out, we can analyze the number of membranes surrounding each of the given organelles:
1. Mitochondria: These organelles are bound by a double-membrane system consisting of a smooth outer membrane and a folded inner membrane (cristae).
2. Chloroplasts: Like mitochondria, chloroplasts are surrounded by a double-membrane envelope, containing an outer membrane and an inner membrane.
3. Nucleus: The genetic material in the nucleus is enclosed by a nuclear envelope, which is a double-membrane barrier consisting of an inner and an outer nuclear membrane.
4. Endoplasmic reticulum: Unlike the others, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a single-membrane-bound organelle consisting of an interconnected network of flattened sacs and tubules.

Since mitochondria, chloroplasts, and the nucleus are all double-membrane-bound structures, whereas the endoplasmic reticulum is a single-membrane-bound structure, the Endoplasmic reticulum is the odd one out in this context.

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