Which statement correctly distinguishes plasmodesmata in plant tissues from gap junctions in animal tissues?
- A) Plasmodesmata are formed from transmembrane connexin assemblies, whereas gap junctions are membrane-lined channels containing extensions of the Golgi apparatus.
- B) Plasmodesmata span the rigid plant cell wall and contain a central desmotubule continuous with the endoplasmic reticulum, whereas gap junctions consist of protein channels connecting the plasma membranes of adjacent animal cells.
- C) Plasmodesmata allow only the passive diffusion of dissolved gases, whereas gap junctions facilitate the direct passage of whole ribosomes and large proteins.
- D) Plasmodesmata connect adjacent cells by fusing their nuclear envelopes, whereas gap junctions mediate signaling solely through vesicle-mediated exocytosis.
