Question

How does the composition of the outer covering in plant cells differ from that of the animal cells?

Answer 1

The main structural differences between plant and animal cells are the additional structures found in plant cells. These structures include: chloroplasts, the cell wall, and vacuoles. Chloroplasts In animal cells, the mitochondria produces the majority of the cells energy from food. Plant cells use sunlight as their energy source; the sunlight must be converted into energy in a process called photosynthesis. Chloroplasts are perform this function. The energy conversion in plants is a complex set of reactions similar to those performed by mitochondria in animals. The Cell Wall Another structural difference between in plant cells is the presence of a rigid cell wall surrounding the cell membrane. The tough wall gives added stability and protection to the plant cell. If you think about it, most animal cells are inside an organism that has either an exoskeleton or an endoskeleton, built in structure. Plants don't have a skeleton of any kind so the cells have to perform this. Vacuoles Vacuoles are large, liquid-filled organelles found only in plant cells. Vacuoles can occupy up to 90% of a cell's volume and have a single membrane. Their main function is as a space-filler in the cell, but they can also fill digestive functions and their interiors can be used as storage for nutrients.