Plant and animal cells
Both plant and animal cells share a few common cell organelles, as both are eukaryotes and the function of all these organelles is similar. However, there are some important differences.
Take a look at these two types of cells, then see the table below for some differences. (Note: Next week we will go into more detail about what all the labelled organelles do – so don’t worry too much about what all the labels mean yet).
What differences did you notice?
This table outlines some differences:
| Animal cell | Plant cell |
|---|---|
| Comes in various sizes and shapes | Larger cells |
| Grow by increasing cell numbers | Grow by absorbing more water so cell size increases |
| Has lysosomes and centrosomes | Has a cell wall made of cellulose |
| Mostly round | Is box shaped |
| Has plastids in the cell | |
| Has a large central vacuole that occupies most of the cell | |
| Has chloroplasts |
The Basis of Life: Understanding Human Cells
The Basis of Life: Understanding Human Cells
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