Difference between Plant and Animal Cell

All living things, whether plants or animals, are made of microscopic structures called cells. The basic structure of a cell is similar in all living things. Both plant and animal cells contain the cell membrane, cytoplasm, nucleus, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, mitochondria, ribosomes, and lysosomes. However, there are some important differences between plant and animal cells.

The difference between plant and animal cells are of two types – structural and quantitative.

Difference between plant and animal cells in tabular form

STRUCTURAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PLANT AND ANIMAL CELL

• Cell Wall – Present in a plant cell but absent in an animal cell. The cell wall is an extra covering that surrounds the cell membrane of a plant cell. It is made of stiff, non-living material called cellulose. Unlike the cell membrane, it is freely permeable and allows all substances in solution form to pass through it. The cell wall provides rigidity and protection to the cell.

• Centrosome – Absent in a plant cell but present in animal cells. Animal cells possess a centrosome, a cell organelle that helps in cell division. It is a clear area of cytoplasm close to the nucleus from which spindle fibers develop during cell division both in mitosis and meiosis.
  

  An Animal Cell with Various Organelles

• Vacuole – Present in both plant and animal cells but their structure varies. One of the most prominent differences between plant and animal cells is in the structure of vacuoles. Vacuoles are certain clear spaces in the cytoplasm. They contain water and various substances in the solution state. These bubble-like sacs are bounded by a single membrane called ‘Tonoplast’. Vacuoles in plant cells are larger in size and lesser in number. They occupy most of the space inside a plant cell and provide turgidity and rigidity to the cell. Vacuoles play an important role in the excretion and secretion of the cell. Whereas, in animal cells vacuoles are absent, if present, they are smaller in size and more in number.
• Plastids – Present in a plant cell but absent in animal cells. Plastids manufacture and store food in plant cells. They occur in different shapes – oval, spherical, and disc-shaped. These are double-membrane organelle which has DNA and ribosome. Therefore, like mitochondria, plastids are also semi-autonomous organelles.

QUANTITATIVE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PLANT AND ANIMAL CELL

• Size – Plant cells are usually large with distinct outlines, whereas animal cells are small with less distinct boundaries.
  

  A Plant Cell showing various Organelles

• Cytoplasm – Animal cell cytoplasm is denser and granular in comparison to that of plant cells.
• Arrangement of Cytoplasm – In plant cells, there is a thin lining of cytoplasm mostly pushed to the periphery, whereas in animal cells cytoplasm fills almost the entire cell.

Have you ever thought about why a plant cell has a cell wall and chloroplast?

Imagine standing erect without bones or muscles. Also, can your body make its food? But a green plant stands erect without having any bones and prepares its food.

A plant cell has special parts that make these things possible. It has a cell wall and chloroplasts. The cell wall stiffens the plant. The chloroplasts help it to make food.

Structure of generalized plant and animal cells….Selftution