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In this article, we will describe and interpret photomicrographs, electron micrographs, or drawings of typical plant and animal cells and compare the structure of plant and animal cells. So, let us get started.
Electron Micrographs of Plant and Animal Cells
An electron micrograph refers to the image of a specimen taken using an electron microscope.
The electron micrograph of an animal cell is shown below:
The electron micrograph of a plant cell is shown below:
Now, what do these electron micrographs of both the cells indicate?
Well, we can conclude the following two points from these electron micrographs:
- Centrioles and microvilli are present in animal cells but absent in plant cells.
- Additional structures such as cell walls made up of cellulose, chloroplasts, and large permanent vacuoles are present in plant cells but absent in animal cells.
- The structure of plant cells is larger and more regular as compared to the structure of an animal cell.
In the next section of the article, we will compare the structure of a typical plant and animal cell.
Structure of Typical Plant and Animal Cells
The lifestyles of animal and plant cells are completely different. Plants remain static at one place and employ energy from sunlight to make their own food through photosynthesis. On the other hand, animals move actively and feed on other animals and plants to get energy. As both the organisms perform an entirely different function, therefore animal and plant cells are quite different from each other.
Structures Present in Both the Cells
The general makeup of both the plant and animal cells is the same. However, some structures are only present in plant cells and vice versa. The similarities in both the cells are described below:
- Both animal and plant cells have a cell membrane that surrounds a gel-like structure known as cytoplasm
- Both cells have smaller organelles that perform discrete functions
- These organelles are separated from the cytoplasm by membranes; therefore these organelles are referred to as membrane bound organelles.
- The three important organelles that are present in all the eukaryotic cells whether they are plant or animal cells are the nucleus, endoplasmic reticulum with ribosomes, and Golgi apparatus.
Nucleus
The nucleus is a membrane-bound organelle that is usually present in the center of the cell. The nucleus is found in all eukaryotic cells and contains the genetic material of the cell known as chromatin.
Endoplasmic Reticulum
All eukaryotic cells have endoplasmic reticulum that plays an important role in the production, processing, and transportation of lipids and proteins. The endoplasmic reticulum produces transmembrane proteins and lipids not only for its own membrane, but also for other organelles such as lysosomes, Golgi apparatus, cell membrane, and vacuoles in the plant cell.
Golgi Apparatus
The Golgi apparatus is the flattened sacs of the membrane that seem like a smooth endoplasmic reticulum. It changes proteins and packages them into vesicles or lysosomes.
Differences Between Plant and Animal Cells
So far, we have discussed the similarities between plant and animal cells. In the next section of the article, we will discuss the differences between plant and animal cells.
Shape
For experiments, often plant cells are used more than animal cells. The main reason behind this lies in the shape of the plant and animal cells. Plant cells have a regular structure that resembles a rectangle or a cube. On the other hand, animal cells have irregular shapes and can have multiple shapes.
Cell Wall
Since animals are more active than plants, therefore they only have a cell membrane also referred to as a plasma membrane around their cells. Plants remain static at one place, so they need to stay upright constantly. That is why in addition to plasma membrane, they also have an additional structure known as a cell wall.
The cell wall surrounds the cell membrane. Unlike the cell membrane, the cell wall is robust and rigid. The cell wall in plant cells is made up of carbohydrates such as cellulose and it is inflexible. The cell wall has special openings known as plasmodesmata that enable the transport inside and outside the cell.
Energy Organelles
Both animal and plant cells have special organelles that play the role of energy generators. We know that plants and animals obtain energy differently, hence the energy organelles in both the cells are quite different from each other.
Plants energy organelle – chloroplasts
Chloroplasts refer to the bean-shaped organelles that are created by double membranes. The chloroplasts have a green pigment known as chlorophyll inside them. The chlorophyll helps to convert sun energy into chemical energy by a process known as photosynthesis.
In the process of photosynthesis, water and carbon dioxide are employed to form a glucose molecule using the energy from sunlight. Later, glucose is used to get or store energy. The equation of photosynthesis is given below:
Animal energy organelle: mitochondria
Mitochondria are somewhat similar to chloroplasts. They are rod or bean-like structures that are composed of double membranes. Unlike plant energy organelle chlorophyll, mitochondria in animal cells do not contain any pigment inside them. Instead, the inner membrane of mitochondria contains multiple proteins. These proteins perform a series of reactions that are components of the complex process known as aerobic respiration.
Aerobic respiration is a type of respiration that occurs in the presence of oxygen. Through this process, the energy currency for the cell known as ATP molecules is created. Although many processes in the animal cells generate ATP, however mitochondria produce more ATP than any other process in the cell.
Vacuoles
If you observe any cell, you will see round structures that are surrounded by a single membrane. These structures have a clear liquid inside them and are referred to as vacuoles. Both animal and plant cells contain vacuoles, however, they are different. In animal cells, vacuoles are small, but plant cells contain a big vacuole that is filled with water and dissolved molecules. Vacuoles are important organelles in the plant cells as they perform multiple important functions such as:
- They store water and sometimes store dissolved sugars
- They generate inner pressure that helps the cell to maintain its shape
- They provide support to the stems, leaves, and flowers to maintain their position.
Vacuoles in animals also play important functions, however, they are not permanent. They are mostly used for the storage of nutrients, essential proteins, or harmful substances.
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