Animal cells What do plant cells have that animal cells don't?

Animal cells and plant cells are two types of eukaryotic cells, but they have some significant differences in structure and function. Understanding these differences is essential for gaining a deeper understanding of biology and cell function. In this article, we will explore the unique structures and functions that animal cells have but plant cells do not have, to help you better understand the evolutionary and biological differences between these two types of cells. Specificity.

7137a756e91a377548e8af988bd8e796 (1).jpeg

1. Centrosome

One of the most significant differences is the presence of the centrosome. Animal cells have a structure called the centrosome, which is composed of two centrioles and is located near the cell nucleus. Centrosomes play an important role in cell division, helping to form the spindle and ensuring that chromosomes are evenly distributed to the two daughter cells during mitosis or meiosis.

Animal cells have: centrosomes
Plant cells do not have: centrosomes

Plant cells do not have centrosomes, but they are still able to form spindles during cell division, usually through other microtubule organizing centers to accomplish this task.

2. Lysosome

Lysosome is a unique organelle in animal cells. It is a small vesicle wrapped by a single membrane. Full of hydrolytic enzymes. The main function of lysosomes is to break down and recycle cellular waste, including digesting foreign substances (such as bacteria), cleaning damaged organelles, and helping to maintain normal cell function through intracellular digestion.

Animal cells have: lysosomes
Plant cells do not have: typical lysosomes

Although plant cells also have structures similar to lysosomes, such as vacuoles, which can participate in some decomposition functions, their functions are similar to lysosomes. The bodies are not exactly the same.

3. Intermediate Filaments

The cytoskeleton of animal cells is composed of microtubules , microfilaments and intermediate filaments. Among them, intermediate filaments are mainly responsible for enhancing the mechanical strength of cells and maintaining the stability of cell structure, especially when subjected to external pressure or tension.

Animal cells have: intermediate filaments
Plant cells do not have: intermediate filaments

Although plant cells also have cytoskeleton, they lack the intermediate filaments. The rigidity of plant cells mainly depends on the cell wall, not on the intermediate filaments like animal cells.

4. Tight Junctions and Desmosomes

There are some unique cell connection structures in animal cells, which help cells to connect tightly, form tissues, and control the flow of substances between cells. Tight junctions and Desmosomes are two of the main types of connections.

Tight junctions: form barriers in epithelial tissues to prevent molecules from passing through intercellular spaces.
Desmosomes: ensure the overall structure and strength of tissues through strong connections between cells.
Animal cells have: tight junctions, desmosomes
Plant cells do not have: tight junctions, desmosomes

Plant cells communicate and transfer substances through plasmodesmata, which replaces the tight junctions and desmosomes in animal cells.

5. Glycogen Granules

Animal cells store energy mainly in the form of glycogen. Glycogen is a polysaccharide that is stored as granules in animal cells for use when energy is needed. There are a large number of glycogen granules in animal cells, especially in liver and muscle cells.

Animal cells have: glycogen granules
Plant cells do not have: glycogen granules

Plant cells store energy through starch. The two are similar in function, but glycogen and starch are different molecules.

6. Microvilli

In some animal cells, especially epithelial cells, the cell surface has microvilli, which are tiny protrusions of the cell membrane. These structures greatly increase the surface area of the cell, especially when absorbing nutrients or excreting waste (such as intestinal cells), microvilli can improve the functional efficiency of the cell.

Animal cells have: microvilli (partial cells)
Plant cells do not have: microvilli

Plant cells generally do not have such similar structures, and they rely on the properties of the cell wall and vacuoles to regulate internal pressure to maintain their shape and function.

Although animal cells and plant cells have many similarities, they have obvious differences in structure and function. The unique structure of animal cells (such as centrosomes, lysosomes, intermediate filaments, etc.) enables them to perform functions different from plant cells, especially in terms of movement, energy storage, cell-to-cell connections, and cell division. Understanding these differences will not only help us better understand cell biology, but also help us gain a deeper understanding of the uniqueness of various biological systems in the process of evolution.

Do both plant and animal cells have chloroplasts?

One between plant and animal cells The significant difference is the presence of chloroplasts. Chloroplasts are only found in plant cells and some algae cells, while animal cells Does not have chloroplasts.

What are chloroplasts?

Chloroplasts are a unique organelle in plant cells that is responsible for photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is the process of converting light energy into chemical energy. Chloroplasts capture sunlight and use carbon dioxide to and water to make glucose, which provides energy for plants. Chloroplasts contain a green pigment called chlorophyll, which makes plants appear green.

Why don't animal cells have chloroplasts?
Animals do not photosynthesize, so they do not need chloroplasts. Animals obtain energy from food rather than from sunlight. The energy of animal cells comes from mitochondria, which are respired by cells. strong>breaks down food into energy.

Differences between plant and animal cells

Plant cells have chloroplasts , capable of producing energy through photosynthesis.
Animal cells do not have chloroplasts, they obtain energy from food and rely on mitochondria for cellular respiration.

Therefore, the energy acquisition methods and organelle structures of plant cells and animal cells are fundamentally different.

What is the difference between cytokinesis in plant and animal cells?

Cytokinesis is the final step in the cell division process in plant and animal cells. The first step involves dividing the cytoplasm of a cell into two daughter cells. Although both have the same goal, they have significant differences in their mechanisms.

1. Cytokinesis in Animal Cells

Cytokinesis in animal cells is usually completed through a process called **cleavage furrow**.

Process:

At the end of mitosis, a concave cleavage furrow begins to form in the middle of the cell membrane.
The cleavage furrow is formed by the contraction of a ring formed by microfilaments (mainly actin), which is located on the inner side of the cell membrane.
As the ring Gradually shrinking, the cell membrane gradually pulls inward, and eventually the cell is divided into two independent daughter cells.

Features:

Animal cells can easily complete division by contracting the cell membrane because they do not have a hard cell wall.
The cleavage furrow begins to form from the outside of the cell, gradually shrinks, and finally divides the cell into two.

2. Cytokinesis of plant cells

Cytokinesis of plant cells depends on the formation of the cell plate, because plant cells have hard cell walls and cannot divide by contraction like animal cells.

Process:

At the end of mitosis, some vesicles produced by the Golgi apparatus gather in the center of the cell to form a structure called the cell plate.
The materials carried by the vesicles will fuse in the center of the cell, gradually expand, and eventually form a new cell wall to separate the two daughter cells.
The cell plate starts to expand from the center of the cell, gradually extends outward, and finally fuses with the existing cell wall to form two separate cells.

Features:

Plant cells cannot complete division by contraction due to their hard cell walls, but divide cells by generating new cell walls.
The cell plate expands from the inside to the outside, instead of contracting from the outside to the inside like animal cells.

Summary of main differences

Characteristics	Animal cells	Plant cells
Cytoplasmic division mechanism	Through cytoplasmic shrinkage, the actin ring in the cell membrane contracts	Formation of new cell wall through cell plate
Division method	Contracts from outside to inside, gradually forming a cleavage furrow	Expands from inside to outside, gradually forming a new cell wall
Structural features	No cell wall, so it is easy to achieve division through membrane contraction	With cell wall, a new cell plate needs to be generated to separate cells
Organelles involved	Actin filaments form a contractile ring	Golgi vesicles fuse to form a cell plate

The different ways of cytoplasmic division in animal cells and plant cells are determined by their structural differences. Animal cells have no cell walls and can complete division through cytoplasmic shrinkage; while plant cells have hard cell walls and must complete cytoplasmic division through the formation of cell plates.

animal tags： cell