Plant Cells Vs. Animal Cells (With Diagrams)
What Are Cells?
Cells have often been referred to as "the building blocks of life," and indeed they are.
All forms of life, from simple bacteria to human beings, are made up of cells. What is remarkable is that, despite their differences in appearance, plant and animal life are made up of cells that are the same in most respects.
In both animals and plants, cells generally become specialized to perform certain functions. Nerve cells, bone cells and liver cells, for example, all develop in ways that enable them to better perform their specific duties.
The most important structures of plant and animal cells are shown in the diagrams below, which provide a clear illustration of how much these cells have in common. The significant differences between plant and animal cells are also shown, and the diagrams are followed by more in-depth information.
What Are the Differences Between Plant and Animal Cells?
Plant cells have to perform two functions that are not required of animal cells:
- Produce their own food (which they do in a process called photosynthesis).
- Support their own weight (which animals usually do by means of a skeleton).
The structures possessed by plant cells for performing these two functions create the primary differences between plant and animals cells. These structures are:
Structures Unique to Plant Cells
- Cell Wall: A wall on the outside of the membrane, which, in combination with the vacuole (as described below), helps the plant cell maintain its shape and rigidity.
- Plastids: Used in photosynthesis to convert sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water into food. The most well-known plastids are chloroplasts, which contain the chlorophyll that gives many plants their green hue.
- Large Vacuole: While animal cells may have many tiny vacuoles, a plant cell usually has a single large vacuole, which serves as a storage tank for food, water, waste products, and other materials. The vacuole has an important structural function, as well. When filled with water, the vacuole exerts internal pressure against the cell wall, which helps keep the cell rigid. A plant that is wilting has vacuoles that are no longer filled with water.
While animal cells do not have a cell wall, chloroplasts, or a large vacuole, they do have one component plant cells do not. This is:
Structures Unique to Animal Cells
- Centrioles: Animal cells contain organelles known as centrioles, which are not present in plant cells. Centrioles help move chromosomes during cell division. Since animal cells are softer than plant cells, centrioles are required to ensure the chromosomes are in the proper location when the cell divides. Plant cells, with their more fixed shape, can safely assume that the chromosomes are correctly positioned.
Comparing the Components Plant and Animal Cells
Animal Cell
| Plant Cell
|
|---|---|
X
| Cell Wall
|
Membrane
| Membrane
|
Cytoplasm
| Cytoplasm
|
Endoplasmic Reticulum
| Endoplasmic Reticulum
|
Nucleus
| Nucleus
|
Ribosomes
| Ribosomes
|
Centrioles
| X
|
Mitochondria
| Mitochondria
|
Golgi Bodies
| Golgi Bodies
|
Vacuole
| Vacuole
|
X
| Chloroplast
|
What Are the Similarities Between Plant and Animal Cells?
Both plant cells and animal cells are Eukaryotic cells. These are cells that contain a well-defined nucleus and in which the other organelles are held together by membranes.
What Is an Organelle?
An organelle is any specialized structure that is contained within a cell. Organelles perform various functions to keep the cell alive.
Organelles that can be found in both plant and animal cells include the following:
Similarities Between Plant and Animal Cells
Organelle
| Function
|
|---|---|
Cell Membrane
| A selectively permeable wall that surrounds and protects the contents of the cell.
|
Cytoplasm
| The fluid which fills the cell and keeps the organelles in place.
|
Nucleus
| The command center of the cell that controls the various processes of the cell. The nucleus also contains most of the cell's genetic material.
|
Mitochondria
| The powerhouse of the cell. Here, food is converted into energy.
|
Ribosomes
| Ribosomes generate proteins from amino acids.
|
Endoplasmic Reticulum
| A series of sacs and tubes used to process substances and transport them to golgi bodies for further distribution.
|
Golgi Bodies
| Golgi bodies process and transfer substances to the correct location. They are also responsible for excreting waste from the cell.
|
Vacuoles
| Sacs that serve as storage units.
|
Why Do Plant and Animal Cells Have so Much in Common?
As hard as it may be to imagine, biologists believe that at an early point in the evolution of life on Earth, plants and animals once shared a common ancestor. All life on Earth, it seems, is truly related.
Plant Cells vs. Animal Cells: Compare and Contrast (Video)
References
- Wallace, Holly. Cells And Systems. Chicago: Heinemann Library, 2006.
- Phenlan, Jay. What Is Life? A Guide to Biology. New York: W.H. Freeman and Company, 2010.
- Exams India. Differences Between Plant and Animal | Cell Procaryotic and Eucaryotic Cell 2012. http://examsindia.net/2010/01/differences-between-plant-and-animal-cell-procaryotic-and-eucaryotic-cell.html
© 2012 Glen Nunes
Related
Comments
Chall `MDFC`
lightning mcqueen dies in endgame
soup
how dare you talk about avengers endgame
derp
Ok, this is E
This is very true
tiddies yeah
the avengers go back in time, captain america gets old, iron man dies, black widow, dies vision doesnt come back, gamora is alive in the past but doesnt remember the guardians of the galaxy thor gets fat fortnite is on the movie thor kills thanos in the first part and cut his head off and says i aimed for the head antman was stuck in the quantum realm and he says he has only been stuck there for five hours and his daughter gets older and professer hulk is in the movie and captain america can hold thors axe and hammer iron man gets hold of all stones and snaps his finger and dusts thanos and his team and thats how iron man dies and thats most of endgame
true
HI IM MIRANDA SINGS
Can I get a rip in the chat for Tony Stark
Hi guys me again. I'm in class again, please help
iron man dies in endgame
whereś the leak mam
hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
i dont feel so good *epicly turns into dust*
follow me on insta staffjace_69_69
Focas na krap
horrible
Hi guys how are you today? I'm in class and I'm super bored so please help me
africans
i am bone
i am you, but stronger
epic
Dumb
that was so amazing did anyone like that video because i did
and i am not married yet i am getting married on december a month before christmas exiting love you guys bye
ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA!!!!!!
STAR PLATINUM!!!!!!!
My name is Yoshikage Kira. I'm 33 years old. My house is in the northeast section of Morioh, where all the villas are, and I am not married. I work as an employee for the Kame Yu department stores, and I get home every day by 8 PM at the latest. I don't smoke, but I occasionally drink. I'm in bed by 11 PM, and make sure I get eight hours of sleep, no matter what. After having a glass of warm milk and doing about twenty minutes of stretches before going to bed, I usually have no problems sleeping until morning. Just like a baby, I wake up without any fatigue or stress in the morning. I was told there were no issues at my last check-up. I'm trying to explain that I'm a person who wishes to live a very quiet life. I take care not to trouble myself with any enemies, like winning and losing, that would cause me to lose sleep at night. That is how I deal with society, and I know that is what brings me happiness. Although, if I were to fight I wouldn't lose to anyone.
head
I am ready now
yea why you hit me
Just follow my moves and sneak around! Be careful no to make a sound...
NO DON'T TOUCH THAT
This article was so great that I forgot that I am awaiting a knight so bold as to rescue me.
i got a feeling so complicated
yeah whyd you hit me
congragulation
have you seen a teenage boy named hirose koichi? he sometimes steals, but i can guarantee that he is a reliable guy.
Sunlight Yellow Overdrive
Hello there boy, I heard that you have survived the STONE MASK
mexicans
Fantastic
hi hows life
This post is perfectly balanced, as all things should be.
wunu play sum smash on thuh switch??
i has 3 winz inn sow low
DAD???
sorry man but yeah did you want some
hi boy
james you are just gana give the candy to all your teachers and not your best freand ?????
he is so cute but at the same time he hurt my feelings but i still
love him
hiiiii.
this is a very usefull site it helped alot with my work
i like trains ( its a joke from asdf movies )
screw yoo
thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!o by the way Fornite is so better than pubg.
im james freind the one with sceibies
good!! (:
thx really good
cool
scabies very contagous my friend has it
big oof, passed my science exam thanks to this. also APEX IS BETTER THAN FORTNITE
Thank you!
Thanks!
that was legitness $___$
wont to play some fortnite
wont to play some fortnite
YO MAMA so ugly she walked in a haunted house and came out with an application $___$
hi my name is hi, and i wanted to just say hi, so hi!!! :)
this site was very helpful and CERTAIN PEOPLE should stop posting rude comments. thx :)
you guys really dont know what to do in an educational website.
yo this site fat
think you miss rose..
This site helps with depression
the moment u reals e that u said u instead of you on an nonallergic site
Sub2Pewdiepie
So helpful
I am ready to tiggle ma
Love this
i like turtles ;w;
Fortnite is a meh game and idk why you all talking about it on an eductinal website.
----p.s it sucks!!!!!!!!!!!
Oof....
hey guys its ALI-A here
fortnite is better than pubg
This site was VERY helpful I was able to fill out my notes in a jiffy. It was also very easy to follow along with & I would definitely recommend to others. Also, don't listen to those Fortniters & haters they are just jealous they can't make a website this good.
~By the way, Fortnite sucks and is total trash you people that play are rotting your brains and you need to stop before it's too late.
Very helpful site
very interesting
this comment section is suss
I could Clap Tofu
add me jamey345
This is a secret fortnite communtiy
Fortnite?
tfue cud we play duos together i have 0 wins
o my goshies are you the reel tfue
play fortnite
daddy duncan approves
what is the most important things
its not perfect we need more cheese
290