Animal Cell Definition

Animal cells are the basic unit of life in organisms of the kingdom Animalia. They are eukaryotic cells, meaning that they have a true
nucleus and specialized structures called organelles that carry out different functions. Animal cells do not have cell walls or
chloroplasts, the organelle that carries out photosynthesis.
Animal Cell Overview
Animals, plants, fungi, and protists all have eukaryotic cells, while bacteria and archaea have simpler prokaryotic cells. Eukaryotic cells
are distinguished by the presence of a nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles. Animal cells, unlike plants and fungi cells,
do not have a cell wall. Instead, multicellular animals have a skeleton which provides support for their tissues and organs. Likewise,
animal cells also lack the chloroplasts found in plants, which is used to produce sugars via photosynthesis.
As such, animal cells are considered heterotrophic, as opposed to autotrophic plant cells. This means that animal cells must obtain
nutrients from other sources, by eating plant cells or other animal cells. However, like all eukaryotic cells, animal cells
have mitochondria. These organelles are used to create ATP from various sources of energy including carbohydrates, fats, and
proteins. Besides mitochondria, many other organellesare found within animal cells which help them carry out the many functions
required for life.
Animal Cell Structure
The cell has a variety of different parts. It contains many different types of specialized organelles that carry out all of its functions. Not
every animal cell has all types of organelles, but in general, animal cells do contain most if not all of the following organelles.

This is an artist’s rendering of the parts of an animal cell.

Nucleus
The nucleus contains a cell’s deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), its genetic material. DNA contains instructions for making proteins, which
controls all of the body’s activities. In the nucleus, DNA is tightly winded around histones, which are proteins, to form structures called
chromosomes. The nucleus regulates which genes are expressed in the cell, which controls the cell’s activity and functioning
and will be different depending on the type of cell. DNA is located in the nucleolus region of the nucleus, where ribosomes are
made. The nucleus is surrounded by a nuclear envelope (also called nuclear membrane), which separates it from the rest of the cell.
The nucleus also regulates the growth and division of the cell. When the cell is preparing to divide during mitosis, the chromosomes in
the nucleus duplicate and separate, and two daughter cells are formed. Organelles called centrosomes help organize DNA during cell
division. Cells usually have one nucleus each.
Ribosomes
Ribosomes are where proteins are synthesized. They are found within all cells, including animal cells. In the nucleus, a sequence of
DNA that codes for a specific protein is copied onto a complementary messenger RNA (mRNA) chain. The mRNA chain travels to
the ribosome via transfer RNA (tRNA), and its sequence is used to determine the correct placement of amino acids in a chain
that makes up the protein. In animal cells, ribosomes can be found freely in a cell’s cytoplasm, or attached to membranes of
the endoplasmic reticulum.
Endoplasmic Reticulum
The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a network of membranous sacs called cisternae that branches off from the outer nuclear membrane.
It modifies and transports proteins that are made by ribosomes. There are two kinds of endoplasmic reticulum, smooth and
rough. Rough ER has ribosomes attached. Smooth ER does not have ribosomes attached and has functions in making lipids and
steroid hormones and removing toxic substances.
Vesicles
Vesicles are small spheres of a lipid bilayer, which also makes up the cell’s outer membrane. They are used for transporting
molecules throughout the cell from one organelle to another and are also involved in metabolism. Specialized vesicles called
lysosomes contain enzymes that digest large molecules like carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins into smaller ones so that they can be
used by the cell.
Golgi Apparatus
The Golgi apparatus, also called the Golgi complex or Golgi body, is also made up of cisternae, but the cisternae are not
interconnected like those of the ER. The Golgi apparatus receives proteins from the ER and folds, sorts, and packages these
proteins into vesicles.
Mitochondria
The process of cellular respiration occurs in the mitochondria. During this process, sugars and fats are broken down and energy is
released in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP powers all cellular processes, and mitochondria produce a cell’s ATP, so
mitochondria are commonly known as “the powerhouse of the cell”.
Cytosol
The cytosol is the liquid contained within cells. Cytosol and all the organelles within it, except for the nucleus, are collectively referred
to as a cell’s cytoplasm. This solutionis mostly made of water, but also contains ions like potassium, proteins, and small molecules.
The pH is generally neutral, around 7.
Cytoskeleton
The cytoskeleton is a network of filaments and tubules found throughout the cytoplasm of the cell. It has many functions: it gives the
cell shape, provides strength, stabilizes tissues, anchors organelles within the cell, and has a role in cell signaling. There are
three types of cytoskeletal filaments: microfilaments, microtubules, and intermediate filaments. Microfilaments are the smallest, while
microtubules are the biggest.
Cell Membrane
The cell membrane surrounds the entire cell. Animal cells only have a cell membrane; they do not have a cell wall as plant cells do. The
cell membrane is a double layer made up of phospholipids. Phospholipids are molecules with a phosphate group head attached
to glycerol and two fatty acid tails. They spontaneously form double membranes in water due to the hydrophilic properties of the
head and hydrophobic properties of the tails. The cell membrane is selectively permeable, meaning it only allows certain molecules
through. Oxygen and carbon dioxide pass through easily, while larger or charged molecules must go through a special channel in the
membrane. This maintains homeostasis within the cell.
Animal Cells Function
Cells carry out all the processes of the body including producing and storing energy, making proteins, replicating the DNA, and
transportation of molecules through the body. Cells are highly specialized to carry out specific tasks. For example,
the heart has cardiac muscle cells that beat in unison. Digestive tract cells have cilia, which are finger-like projections that increase
surface area for the absorption of nutrients during digestion. Each cell type has the organelles suited to its particular task.
There are over 200 different types of cells in the human body. Red blood cells contain hemoglobin, the molecule that carries oxygen,
and they have no nuclei; this is a specialization that allows each red blood cell to carry as much oxygen within it as possible.
Multiple cells form tissues. These groups of cells carry out a specific function. In turn, groups of similar tissues form the body’s
organs, such as the brain, lungs, and heart. Organs work together in organ systems, like the nervous system, digestive system,
and circulatory system. Organ systems vary depending on the species.
For example, insects have open circulatory systems, where blood is pumped directly into body cavities and surrounds their tissues.
Vertebrates such as fish, mammals, and birds, on the other hand, have closed circulatory systems. Their blood is enclosed within blood
vessels where it travels to target tissues. In this way, all animal have evolved specific uses for each of the cells in their bodies.
Plant Cell Definition
Plant cells are the basic unit of life in organisms of the kingdom Plantae. They are eukaryotic cells, which have a true nucleus along
with specialized structures called organelles that carry out different functions. Plant cells have special organelles called chloroplasts
which create sugars via photosynthesis.
Plant Cell Overview
Animals, fungi, and protists also have eukaryotic cells, while bacteria and archaea have simpler prokaryotic cells. Plant cells are
differentiated from the cells of other organisms by their cell walls, chloroplasts, and central vacuole. The chloroplasts within
plant cells can undergo photosynthesis, to produce glucose. In doing so, the cells use carbon dioxide and they release oxygen.
Other organisms, such as animals, rely on this oxygen and glucose to survive. Plants are considered autotrophic because they produce
their own food and do not have to consume any other organisms. Specifically, plant cells are photoautotrophic because they use
light energy from the sun to produce glucose. Organisms that eat plants and other animals are considered heterotrophic.
The other components of a plant cell, the cell wall and central vacuole, work together to give the cell rigidity. The plant cell will store
water in the central vacuole, which expands the vacuole into the sides of the cell. The cell wall then pushes against the walls of
other cells, creating a force known as turgor pressure. Turgor pressure between cells allows plants to grow tall and reach more
sunlight.
Plant Cell Parts
The plant cell has many different parts. Each part of the cell has a specialized function. These structures are called organelles.
This diagram shows the various parts of a plant cell. Specialized structures in plant cells include chloroplasts, a large vacuole, and the
cell wall.
Chloroplasts
Chloroplasts are found only in plant and algae cells. These organelles carry out the process of photosynthesis, which turns
water, carbon dioxide, and light energy into nutrients. They are oval-shaped and have two membranes: an outer membrane, which
forms the external surface of the chloroplast, and an inner membrane that lies just beneath. Between the outer and inner membrane is
a thin intermembrane space about 10-20 nanometers wide. Within the other membrane, there is another space called the stroma, which
is where chloroplasts are contained.
Chloroplasts themselves contain many flattened disks called thylakoids, and these have a high concentration
of chlorophyll and carotenoids, which capture light energy. The moleculechlorophyll also gives plants their green color. Thylakoids are
stacked on top of one another in vascular plants in stacks called grana.
Vacuoles
Plant cells are unique in that they have a large central vacuole. A vacuole is a small sphere of plasma membrane within the cell
that can contain fluid, ions, and other molecules. Vacuoles are basically large vesicles. They can be found in the cells of many
different organisms, but plant cells characteristically have a large vacuole that can take up anywhere from 30-80 percent of the cell.
The central vacuole of a plant cell helps maintain its turgor pressure, which is the pressure of the contents of the cell pushing against
the cell wall. A plant thrives best when its cells have high turgidity, and this occurs when the central vacuole is full of water. If turgor
pressure in the plants decreases, the plants begin to wilt. Plant cells fare best in hypotonic solutions, where there is more water in
the environment than in the cell; under these conditions, water rushes into the cell by osmosis, and turgidity is high.
Animal cells, on the other hand, can lyse if too much water rushes in; they fare better in isotonic solutions, where the concentration of
solutes in the cell and in the environment is equal and net movement of water in and out of the cell is the same.
Cell Wall
The cell wall is a tough layer found on the outside of the plant cell that gives it strength and also maintains high turgidity. In plants, the
cell wall contains mainly cellulose, along with other molecules like hemicellulose, pectin, and lignins. The composition of the
plant cell wall differentiates it from the cell walls of other organisms.
For example, fungi cell walls contain chitin, and bacterial cell walls contain peptidoglycan, and these substances are not found in
plants. The main difference between plant and animal cells is that plant cells have a cell wall while animal cells do not. Plant
cells have a primary cell wall, which is a flexible layer formed on the outside of a growing plant cell, and a secondary cell wall, a tough,
thick layer formed inside the primary plant cell wall when the cell is mature.
Other Organelles
Plant cells have many other organelles that are essentially the same as organelles in other types of eukaryotic cells, such as animal
cells. The nucleus contains a cell’s deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), its genetic material. DNA contains instructions for making
proteins, which controls all of the body’s activities. The nucleus also regulates the growth and division of the cell. Proteins are
synthesized in ribosomes, modified in the endoplasmic reticulum, and folded, sorted, and packaged into vesicles in the Golgi apparatus.
Mitochondria are also found in plant cells. They produce ATP through cellular respiration. Photosynthesis in the chloroplasts
provides the nutrients that mitochondria break down for use in cellular respiration. Interestingly, both chloroplasts and mitochondria are
thought to have formed from bacteria being engulfed by other cells in an endosymbiotic (mutually beneficial) relationship, and they did
so independently of each other.
The liquid within cells is the cytosol. It is mostly made of water, and also contains ions like potassium, proteins, and small molecules.
Cytosol and all the organelles within it, except for the nucleus, are called the cytoplasm. The cytoskeleton is a network of filaments
and tubules found throughout the cytoplasm of the cell. It has many functions; it gives the cell shape, provides strength, stabilizes
tissues, anchors organelles within the cell, and has a role in cell signaling. The cell membrane, a double phospholipid layer, surrounds
the entire cell.
Plant Cell Functions
Plant cells are the basic building block of plant life, and they carry out all of the functions necessary for survival. Photosynthesis, the
making of food from light energy, carbon dioxide, and water, occurs in the chloroplasts of the cell. The energy molecule adenosine
triphosphate (ATP) is produced through cellular respiration in the mitochondria.
Like all multicellular organisms, each cell within an organism has its own unique role. Some plant cells function solely in the
production of glucose, while others are needed to carry nutrients and water to various parts of the cell. Read the following section for
more about different cell types and their functions.
Plant Cell Types
There are five types of plant cells, each with different functions:

 Parenchyma cells are the majority of cells in a plant. They are found in leaves and carry out photosynthesis and cellular
respiration, along with other metabolic processes. They also store substances like starches and proteins and have a role
in plant wound repair.
 Collenchyma cells provide support to growing parts of a plant. They are elongated, have thick cell walls, and can grow
and change shape as a plant grows.
 Sclerenchyma cells are hard cells that are the main supporting cells in the areas of a plant that have ceased growing.
Sclerenchyma cells are dead and have very thick cell walls.
 Xylem cells transport mostly water and a few nutrients throughout a plant, from the roots to the stem and leaves.
 Phloem cells transport nutrients made during photosynthesis to all parts of a plant. They transport sap, which is a
watery solution high in sugars.
Plant Cell Structure
There are several important structural elements within plant cells that allow plants to stand, gather sunlight, and grow as a single
organism. The most important components within the cells to achieve these ends are the cell wall and the vacuole.

Together, these two structures within plant cells create rigidity, which allows plants to stand tall and not fall over. Specifically, the
vacuole fills with water, pushing on the cell wall. This creates internal pressure, called turgor pressure. The cell walls experience this
pressure. In turn, each wall exerts pressure on the wall next to it. Together, this holds the plant up much like the skeleton of a
human provides support.
However, plants need a steady supply of water to keep this pressure up. Without water, the vacuoles will quickly lose water. Without
pressure, the cells cannot push against each other. Thus, a thirsty plant will wilt, tip over, and eventually die.

Plant Cell vs. Animal Cell

Diffen › Science › Biology › Cellular Biology

Plant and animal cells have several differences and similarities. For example, animal cells do not have a cell wall or chloroplasts
but plant cells do. Animal cells are mostly round and irregular in shape while plant cells have fixed, rectangular shapes.

Plant and animal cells are both eukaryotic cells, so they have several features in common, such as the presence of a cell
membrane, and cell organelles, like the nucleus, mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum.

Comparison chart
Differences — Similarities —
 Animal Cell versus Plant Cell comparison chart

Animal Cell Plant Cell

Cell wall Absent Present (formed of cellulose)

Shape Round (irregular shape) Rectangular (fixed shape)

Vacuole One or more small vacuoles (much One, large central vacuole taking up to 90% of cell volume.
smaller than plant cells).

Centrioles Present in all animal cells Only present in lower plant forms (e.g. chlamydomonas)

Chloroplast Absent Plant cells have chloroplasts to make their own food.

Cytoplasm Present Present

Ribosomes Present Present

Mitochondria Present Present

Plastids Absent Present

Endoplasmic Present Present

Reticulum
(Smooth and
Rough)

Peroxisomes Present Present

Golgi Present Present

Apparatus

Plasma Only cell membrane Cell wall and a cell membrane

Membrane

Microtubules/ Present Present

Microfilament
s

Flagella Present in some cells ( e.g. mammalian Present in some cells (e.g. sperm of bryophytes and
sperm cells) pteridophytes, cycads and Ginkgo)

Lysosomes Lysosomes occur in cytoplasm. Lysosomes usually not evident.

Nucleus Present Present

Cilia Present Most plant cells do not contain cilia.

Contents: Plant Cell vs Animal Cell

 1 Cell Wall
 2 Chloroplasts
 3 Centriole
 4 Vacuoles
 5 Lysosomes
 6 Pictures of plant and animal cells
 7 Video Comparing Plant and Animal Cells
 8 Types of plant cells
 9 References
Cell Wall

A difference between plant cells and animal cells is that most animal cells are round whereas most plant cells are
rectangular.Plant cells have a rigid cell wall that surrounds the cell membrane. Animal cells do not have a cell wall. When looking
under a microscope, the cell wall is an easy way to distinguish plant cells.

Chloroplasts

Plants are autotrophs; they produce energy from sunlight through the process of photosynthesis, for which they use cell
organelles called chloroplasts. Animal cells do not have chloroplasts. In animal cells, energy is produced from food (glucose) via
the process of cellular respiration. Cellular respiration occurs in mitochondria on animal cells, which are structurally somewhat
analogous to chloroplasts, and also perform the function of producing energy. However, plant cells also contain mitochondria.

Centriole

All animal cells have centrioles whereas only some lower plant forms have centrioles in their cells (e.g. the male gametes of
charophytes, bryophytes, seedless vascular plants, cycads, and ginkgo).

Vacuoles

Animal cells have one or more small vacuoles whereas plant cells have one large central vacuole that can take upto 90% of cell
volume. In plant cells, the function of vacuoles is to store water and maintain turgidity of the cell. Vacuoles in animal cells store
water, ions and waste.

Lysosomes

A lysosome is a membrane-bound spherical vesicle which contains hydrolytic enzymes that can break down many kinds of
biomolecules. It is involved in cell processes,like secretion, plasma membrane repair, cell signaling, and energy metabolism.
Animal cells have clearly defined lysosomes. The presence of lysosomes in plant cells in under debate. A few studies have
reported presence of animal lysosomes in plant vacuoles therefore suggesting plant vacuoles fulfilling the role of the animal
lysosomal system.

Pictures of plant and animal cells