Did you know that every living organism, big or small, is made up of tiny building blocks called Cells? Whether it's a gigantic elephant or a tiny ant, cells are the backbone of life. You might know that prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Cells are significantly different, but have you ever wondered what sets plant and animal cells apart? From chloroplasts to vacuoles, get ready to explore the fascinating differences between these two cell types and discover how they condition what they can and cannot do. So buckle up, grab your magnifying glass, and join us on this exciting journey through the microscopic world.
- Structure of plant and animal Cells
- Plant and animal cell labelled diagrams
- Plant cell labelled diagram
- Animal cell labelled diagram
- Similarities between plant and animal cells
- Differences between plant and animal cells
Structure of Plant and Animal Cells
Together with fungal and protozoan cells, animal and plant cells are the main types of Eukaryotic Cells that exist. Even though plant and animal cells have several aspects in common, there are key structural differences that make them behave differently, as we will see later in the article.
The following table details the presence or absence of different important organelles and other key structures in animal and plant cells:
| Organelle | Plant Cell | Animal Cell |
| Plasma Membrane | Yes | Yes |
| Cell wall | Yes, made of cellulose* | No |
| Nucleus and nucleolus | Yes | Yes |
| Rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum (ER) | Yes | Yes |
| Golgi apparatus | Yes | Yes |
| Plastids* | Yes | No |
| Mitochondria | Yes | Yes |
| Ribosomes | Yes | Yes |
| Cytoskeleton | Yes, but lack centrioles and centrosomes | Yes |
| Peroxisomes and lysosomes | Yes | Yes |
| Amylopasts | Yes | No |
| Lysosomes | No | Yes |
| Peroxisomes | Yes | Yes |
| Vacuole(s) | Yes - one large vacuole that occupies most of the cytoplasm | Yes - several small and dynamic vacuoles that do not occupy too much space within the cell |
Table 1. Organelles and cell structures present in animal and plant cells.Cellulose is a long-chain molecule made up of glucose units.
Plastids: plastids are organelles that contain pigment and perform Photosynthesis. Chloroplasts are plastids that contain chlorophyll, which absorbs light energy from the sun and uses it to convert carbon dioxide into organic matter such as glucose.
Amyloplasts are colourless vesicle-like organelles which store starch.
Lysosomes are a type of membrane-bound organelle which contain hydrolytic Enzymes capable of breaking down complex molecules like Proteins or Carbohydrates, and are only present in animal cells. Peroxisomes might look similar under the microscope, but they contain Enzymes that help cells neutralise and protect themselves from reactive oxygen species, and are present in plant and animal cells.
Let's take a closer look at the structures of plant and animal cells. Can you tell how to distinguish both types of cell by looking at the diagram below?
Fig. 1. Differences and similarities between plant and animal cells. Remember that ER is the abbreviation for endoplasmic reticulum. As you can see from the diagram, plant and animal cells look very different. Thus, there are simple ways to distinguish both of them:
- The shape of the cell: plant cells are usually square or rectangular due to the cell wall, but animal cells can vary significantly in shape because they aren't constrained by the rigid cell wall.
- A lack of a cell wall marks the eukaryotic cell as an animal cell. Not having a cell wall means that animal cells can change shape to adapt to the amount of water exiting or entering the cell, with the risk of bursting or lysing. However, plant cells cannot do this to the same degree. Plant cells have two statuses depending on the amount of water they contain:
- Turgid: When a plant cell is fully hydrated and contains an excess of water, it becomes turgid and the cell wall prevents further uptake of water. This results in increased pressure within the cell and the cell becomes firm and rigid.
- Flaccid: When a plant cell loses water, it becomes flaccid. The reduction in pressure within the cell causes the cell wall to collapse and the cell to become limp. This process is called plasmolysis. This status can be reversed by watering a plant.
Fig. 2. Turgid, flaccid and plasmolysed plant cells. Plant cells can transition through these stages depending on the amount of water they can absorb.
- The presence of a big vacuole indicates that the cell is a plant cell. Animal cells do not have a big, permanent vacuole because they do not have cell sap. The permanent vacuole is the largest organelle found in plant cells, whilst in animal cells, the largest organelle is usually the cell nucleus.
- Animal cells do not have chloroplasts. Chloroplasts contain chlorophyll for Photosynthesis. You may recall that photosynthesis is the process by which Plants use light energy to form valuable products such as sugars. Animal cells do not photosynthesise and so do not need chloroplasts. Chlorophyll is a pigment which gives plant leaves their characteristic green colour.
When looking through a microscope, what cell are you looking at?
We must be able to tell the difference between plant and animal cells. One simple way we can do this is by looking for the presence of a vacuole. When looking through a microscope or at an image of a cell, this will appear as a large space taking up most of the cell. If we can see this, then it must be a plant cell.
Remember that plant cells also have a cell wall; this may appear rigid when compared to the cell membrane of an animal cell. However, the presence of a cell wall does not exclude fungal cells or prokaryotic cells if these are options!
Fig. 3. Example of a plant cell sample under the microscope. The green dots in the image are chloroplasts. Depending on the type of sample preparation, you might be able to see the chloroplasts, the vacuole, the cell wall, or all of these characteristics of plant cells. Source: Flickr.
If looking at an image in colour, chloroplasts may also be present in a plant cell. Animal cells do not carry out photosynthesis and so do not have chloroplasts. These will appear green on an image.
Plant and Animal Cells Labelled Diagrams
It's common for schools to ask students to label a plant and/or animal cell diagram. Each cell has it's peculiarities as we have seen above, but the organelles and other cell structures have such peculiar shapes that you'll be sure to identify each one quickly once you've tried once or twice.
Plant Cell Labelled Diagram
As you can see, a labeled diagram of a plant cell typically includes the following structures: cell wall, cell membrane, nucleus, cytoplasm, chloroplasts, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, peroxisomes, and a central vacuole.
Fig. 4. Labelled plant cell diagram. Take note of the shape and location of each organelle and the shape of the cell.
Plant Cell Labelled Diagram
From the diagram below, you can see that a labeled diagram of an animal cell typically includes the following structures: cell membrane, nucleus, cytoplasm, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, lysosomes, centrosomes, and Cytoskeleton.
Fig. 5. Labelled animal cell diagram. Take note of the shape and location of each organelle and the shape of the cell.
Drawing plant and animal cells
When learning how to draw animal and plant cells, you can follow these steps to ensure you understand the various cells!
- Start by trying to label diagrams of already-drawn plant and animal cells.
- Make two lists. One list of all the organelles found in plant cells and one list of the organelles found in animal cells.
Remember to include the organelles found in plant cells that are not in animal cells.
- Now, try to draw both an animal cell and a plant cell adding all the relevant organelles. Animal and plant cells are often similar, although some plant cells can be twice or three times larger than some animal cells. Bear this in mind when drawing your plant and animal cells!
Look at all the diagrams in this article to help with the drawing.
Another way to test your knowledge on animal and plant cells is to take a pre-drawn empty diagram of each type of cell and label the organelles that appear in both. You can start with the ones in these diagrams:
No cheating! Try to fill out the diagram without looking at the labelled diagrams above.
Fig.6. Can you remember which type of cell this is, and what organelles the arrows are pointing at?
Fig. 7. Can you remember which type of cell this is, and what organelles the arrows are pointing at?
Similarities Between Plant and Animal Cells
Plant and animal cells have a few similarities, starting with the fact that they are both eukaryotic cells. This means that they both have a nucleus containing the Genetic Information in the form of DNA, and membrane-bound organelles. As we have seen in this article, though, the type and number of organelles can significantly differ between animal and plant cells.
However, as any cell, plant and animal cells tick all the boxes that characterise the basic unit of life:
- Both cell types can reproduce independently via Mitosis and Cytokinesis. Plant cells need to generate new cell wall apart from Plasma Membrane, though.
- Both plant and animal cells respire, i.e. they have catabolic reactions as part of their metabolism. On top of that, most plant cells also photosynthesise.
- Plant and animal cells respond to stimuli, can grow and move, although plant's movement is extremely limited.
- Both plant and animal cells depend and interact with their environment.
Both animal and plant cells are surrounded by a cell membrane, a thin layer that helps protect the cell and regulate what goes in and out. This means that their nucleus is membrane-bound.
Differences Between Plant and Animal Cells
Animal and plant cells create incredibly different organisms, with different characteristics, requirements and abilities. This difference already starts at the cellular level, in particular, it starts at the level of Cell Structure, which we have already covered. The structural differences like the presence of a cell wall in plant cells, or of centrioles in animal cells then end up giving the different functionalities of each cell type.
Remember: structure always conditions function!
Other differences between plant and animal cells include motility, Cell Division, photosynthesis capacity and shape.
- Motility: animal cells can move around, slide and bend, whereas plant cells are stationary relative to each other and can't migrate. However, Plants can orientate and bend towards a nutrient source, like a humid plot of land or the rays of the sun. The differences in motility will influence the way each cell type reacts to the environment.
- Cell Division: although both animal and plant cells divide through Mitosis and Cytokinesis, the specific steps for each cell type are different. For example, plant cells need to generate new cell wall to create two daughter cells, while animal cells only have to split the plasma memebrane to prodiuce to daughter cells. Animal cells have centrioles which play a key role in cell division, while plant cells do not have them. In the end, these differences translate into a speedier division for animal cells in general, although we should be careful of making general statements like this as many factors can influence the speed of cell division.
- Photosynthesis: plants have chloroplasts, which allow them to transform sunlight and other inorganic matter into organic matter (glucose) and oxygen. This is why plants are considered "producers" in an ecosystem, because they can create their own "food" from inorganic molecules and light. Other organisms, those that have animal cells among others, can't create their own organic matter and need to consume plants to obtain nutrients and energy.
- Shape: due to the lack of cell wall, animal cells have more irregular shapes compared to plant cells.
Remember that plant cells contain a permanent vacuole or cell wall, while animal cells do not!
Animal and Plant Cells - Key takeaways
- Animal cells and plant cells are eukaryotic cells with more similarities than differences in their structure.
- Differences in animal and plant Cell Structure include the presence of a cell wall, chloroplasts, and a big vacuole in plant cells; and centrosomes and centrioles plus smaller vacuoles in animal cells.
- Similarities between plant and animal cells include the characteristics of the basic unit of life: reproduce independently, metabolism, motility, response to the environment, growth and interaction with the environment.
- Differences apart from cell structure include a varying degree of motility, the ability of plant cells to photosynthesise, a different process and speed of cell division, and different shape.
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