Cells are the fundamental building blocks of a living organism. All types of organisms are made up of microscopic units called cells. Although cells in all sort of organisms share many similarities, but still there are a number of basic differences between plant cells and animal cells. Today we will learn these!
Differences between Plant Cells and Animal Cells
Property | Plant Cell |
Animal Cell |
---|---|---|
Cell wall | A plant cell is surrounded by cell wall — which gives shape and rigidity to the plant cell. Cells wall also protects cell from external environment. | Animal cells do not have cell walls around them. They are enclosed by cell membrane. |
Shape | Plant cells are often square/rectangular or polyhedron in shape. | Animal cells are roundish or irregularly in shape. |
Nutrition | Plant cells are autotrophic. It means that they do not depend on other organisms to produce energy. | Heterotrophic. Animal cells depend on other organisms to produce energy for their use. |
Reserve Food | Store reserved food as starch. | Store reserved food as glycogen. |
Nucleus | Nucleus is often located towards the periphery of the cell. | Nucleus is located in the center of the cell. |
Mitochondria | Present in fewer numbers. | Present in large number. |
Chloroplast | Present. Plant cells store energy in chloroplast. | Absent. Animal cells store energy in mitochondria. |
Plastids | Present | Absent |
Cilia | Absent | Present in most of the animal cells. |
Vacuoles | One (or few) big vacuoles present near the center. | Smaller but many vacuoles present. |
Lysosome | Rarely present. | Present. |
Centrosomes / Centrioles | Absent. | Present. |
Synthesis of Nutrients | Being autotrophic, plant cells can synthesize all the amino acids, vitamins and coenzymes. | Animal cells can not synthesize amino acids, vitamins and coenzymes. They depend for these on external sources. |
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