Difference between plant cells and animal cells

Hola cytologists! Cells are the basic building blocks of organisms and the functional units of life. Life is passed from one generation to the next in the form of cells. Multicellular organisms are made of many cells. Higher plants and animals are made of billions of cells! In this article, we will be discussing the difference between plant cells and animal cells.

Difference between plant cells and animal cells

Let’s dig into the difference between plant cells and animal cells.

Characteristics of a Plant Cell

1. A plant cell is surrounded by a rigid cell wall.
2. It has a definite form.
3. It is usually larger in size.
4. It cannot change its shape.
5. It cannot change its position or move about.
6. It has plastids.
7. It has a large central vacuole.
8. The nucleus is towards the periphery.
9. The shape of the nucleus is elliptical.
10. The number of mitochondria is comparatively fewer.
11. Centrioles are absent.
12. The spindle apparatus nuclear division is anastral.
13. The organelle, Golgi apparatus has a number of distinct special units called dictyosomes.
14. The plant cells cannot take part in phagocytosis. 
15. Lysosomes are rarely found in plant cells. Specialised vacuoles take over the function of lysosomes.
16. Glyoxysomes may be present.
17. Crystals of inorganic substances occur in cells.
18. Reserve food material is starch and fat.
19. Adjacent cells may be connected through plasmodesmata.
20. Cytokinesis occurs by cell plate formation.

Characteristics of an Animal Cell

1. There is no cell wall around an animal cell.
2. A definite form is less common in the case of animal cells.
3. The size of animal cells is usually small.
4. An animal cell often changes its shape.
5. An animal cell is capable of changing its position and moving about.
6. The location of the nucleus is in the centre.
7. Plastids are absent in them.
8. An animal cell usually has many small vacuoles.
9. The shape of the nucleus is usually round.
10. The number of mitochondria is numerous.
11. Centrioles are present in them.
12. The spindle apparatus is amphiastral.
13. Dictyosomes are absent.
14. They are capable of ingesting materials via phagocytosis.
15. Fully-functional lysosomes are there in animal cells.
16. Glyoxysomes are absent.
17. Crystals of inorganic materials are not commonly found in animal cells.
18. Reserve food material is glycogen and fat.
19. A number of cell junctions connect adjacent cells.
20. Cytokinesis occurs by cleavage.

Hope this difference between plant cells and animal cells clears your basics in the field of cytology.

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