4 difference between animal and plant cell
Answers
Explanation:
Animal cells
Animals are made up of millions of cells. Animal cells have an irregular structure and are made up of four key parts:
1. Nucleus – This contains genetic material (DNA), and controls the cell's activity.
2. Cell membrane – A flexible layer that surrounds the cell and controls the substances that enter and exit.
3. Cytoplasm – A jelly-like substance where the chemical reactions happen.
4. Mitochondria – This is where energy is released from the food molecules.
Plant cells
Plants are also made up of millions of cells. Plant cells have a nucleus, cell membrane, cytoplasm and mitochondria too, but they also contain the following structures:
1. Cell wall – A hard layer outside the cell membrane, containing cellulose to provide strength to the plant.
2. Vacuole – A space inside the cell that is used to store substances and help the cell keep its shape.
3. Chloroplasts – Structures that contain the green pigment chlorophyll, which are a key part of photosynthesis.
Explanation:
Definition Animal cells are also the basic functional unit of life for animals constituting all cell organelles that perform a variety of functions to support the animals’ metabolisms. Plant cells are basic functional units of plants constituting all cell organelles performing a variety of functions that support the plants’ metabolisms.
Size and shape Animal cells are generally smaller than plant cells with their cells ranging from 10-30um in length.
Animal cells shape and sizes vary greatly from irregular shapes to round shapes, most defined by the function they perform.
Plant cells are larger than animal cells with the cell size ranging from 10um-100um in length.
Plant cells similar in shape with most cells being rectangular or cube-shaped.
Cell wall They lack the cell wall but possess a plasma (cell) membrane, which performs the function of support and protection of the cell from external damage.
It also plays a major role in selective permeability allowing in and outflow of nutrient molecules, water, and other cell elements.
They have both a cell wall that is made up of cell membrane and cellulose. The cell wall is, a rigid membrane matrix found on the surface of all plant cells whose primary role is to protect the cell and its content.
Plasma membrane They have a plasma membrane that is a thin flexible membrane, which acts as a protective covering for the animal cell.
It also has selective permeability.
The presence of the plasma membrane made up of cellulose, just below the cell wall which allows selective permeability of cell contents into and out of the cell cytoplasm.
Cytoplasm It houses all the cell organelles. It houses most of the cell organelles
Ribosomes They are present and they are used for protein synthesis and genetic coding of the protein, amino acid sequences. They are present and they are used for protein synthesis and cellular repair mechanisms.
Endoplasmic reticulum They are present in two types: rough endoplasmic and smooth endoplasmic reticulum They are present, in two types; rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum
Lysosomes Animal cells have lysosomes, that contain digestive enzymes to break down cellular macromolecules. Plant cells rarely contain lysosomes as the plant vacuole and the Golgi bodies handle molecule degradation of waste cellular products.
Vacuoles Animal cells may have many small vacuoles, a lot smaller than the plant cell. Plant cells have a large central vacuole that can occupy up to 90% of the cell’s volume.
Nucleus Present and it lies at the center of the cell Present and it lies on the side of the cell
Nucleolus Present in the nucleus Present in the nucleus
Centrioles They are present with their major function involving the assistance of the cell division process. They are absent in plant cells
Peroxisomes They are present in the cytoplasm.
They perform the oxidation mechanisms for specific biomolecules and they assist in the synthesis of plasmalogen lipids.
They are present in the cell cytoplasm functioning as cell oxidizers for cellular molecules, synthesis of lipids and recycling carbon from phosphoglycolate during photorespiration.
Microfilaments and microtubules They are present functioning to give support to the cell cytoskeleton, transport materials across the cytoplasm into and out of the nucleus. They are also involved d in cytokinesis. They are present, to give cytoskeletal support, transportation of molecules across the cytoplasm and the nucleus and they play a major role in cytokinesis.
Cytoskeletons Present and its major functions include creating a network that organizes the cell components and maintains the cell shape. They have a cytoskeleton that maintains the plant cell shape, supports the cell cytoplasm and maintains