Animal Cell

Public Domain Image: National Human Genome Research Institute Animal cells are eukaryotic cells, or cells with a membrane-bound nucleus. Unlike prokaryotic cells, DNA in animal cells is housed within the nucleus. In addition to having a nucleus, animal cells also contain other membrane-bound organelles, or tiny cellular structures, that carry out specific functions necessary for normal cellular operation. Organelles have a wide range of responsibilities that include everything from producing hormones and enzymes to providing energy for animal cells.

Animal Cells: Structures and Organelles

The following are examples of structures and organelles that can be found in typical animal cells: Centrioles - organize the assembly of microtubules during cell division.

Cytoplasm - gel-like substance within the cell. Endoplasmic Reticulum - extensive network of membranes composed of both regions with ribosomes (rough ER) and regions without ribosomes (smooth ER). Golgi Complex - responsible for manufacturing, storing and shipping certain cellular products. Lysosomes - sacs of enzymes that digest cellular macromolecules such as nucleic acids. Microtubules - hollow rods that function primarily to help support and shape the cell. Mitochondria - power producers and the sites of cellular respiration. Nucleus - membrane bound structure that contains the cell's hereditary information. o Nucleolus - structure within the nucleus that helps in the synthesis of ribosomes. Nucleopore - tiny hole within the nuclear membrane that allows nucleic acids and proteins to move into and out of the nucleus. Ribosomes - consisting of RNA and proteins, ribosomes are responsible for protein assembly.
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Plant cell
Plant cells are eukaryotic cells that differ in several key respects from the cells of other eukaryotic organisms. Their distinctive features include: A large central vacuole, a water-filled volume enclosed by a membrane known as the tonoplast[1][2] maintains the cell's turgor, controls movement of molecules between the cytosol and sap, stores useful material and digests waste proteins and organelles. A cell wall composed of cellulose and hemicellulose, pectin and in many cases the lignin also , are secreted by the protoplast on the outside of the cell membrane. This contrasts with the cell walls of fungi (which are made of chitin), and of bacteria, which are made of peptidoglycan. [3] Specialised cellcell communication pathways known as plasmodesmata, pores in the primary cell wall through which the plasmalemma and endoplasmic reticulum[4] of adjacent cells are continuous.

Plastids, the most notable being the chloroplasts, which contain chlorophyll and the biochemical systems for light harvesting and photosynthesis, but also amyloplasts specialized for starch storage, elaioplasts specialized for fat storage, and chromoplasts specialized for synthesis and storage of pigments. As in mitochondria, which have a genome encoding 37 genes,[5] plastids have their own genomes of about 100120 unique genes[6] and, it is presumed, arose as prokaryotic endosymbionts living in the cells of an early eukaryotic ancestor of the land plants and algae.[7] Unlike animal cells, plant cells are stationary. Cell division by construction of a phragmoplast as a template for building a cell plate late in cytokinesis is characteristic of land plants and a few groups of algae, the notable one being the Charophytes[8] and the Order Trentepohliales[9] The sperm of bryophytes have flagellae similar to those in animals,[10][11] but higher plants, (including Gymnosperms and flowering plants) lack the flagellae and centrioles[12] that are present in animal cells.

Animal Cell vs Plant Cell