Compare and Contrast Plant Cell Vs Animal Cell

Cells are the primary blocks of all living beings. The cells possessing a nucleus are referred to as eukaryotic cells, and the cells lacking a nucleus are referred to as prokaryotic cells. In developed organisms like plants and animals, eukaryotic cells are present. Thus, both the cells-plant and animal have a nucleus that contains DNA. These cells have standard processes for reproduction like meiosis and mitosis. These cells obtain the energy required for growth and maintenance through the process of cellular respiration. Students often feel confused about understanding the similarities and differences between plant cells and animal cells. This blog provides a brief understanding of both the cells and compares and contrasts plant cell vs. animal cell.

Characteristics of Plant and Animal Cells

Before we compare and contrast the animal cells to the plant cell, let us first understand the essential characteristics of plant and animal cells. We already know these are eukaryotic cells with a nucleus.

Plant Cell Characteristics

An evident nucleus is present in the plant cells. The chromosomes are contained in the nucleus. The plant cells have a larger shape than those of the animal cells. An important characteristic is here that plant cells consist of cell walls. The cell wall provides a concrete shape like a rectangle or a cube to the cell. The cell membrane exists within the plant cells.

plant cell

A few other plant cell characteristics are given below:

One of the important features of a plant cell is that it contains a cell wall which provides a concrete shape and rigidity to the structure of the cell.
Other significant components of the cell wall are enzymes and cellulose.
Specific organelles are present in the plant cells, which are responsible for performing significant functions of metabolism required for the plant's survival.
Large vacuoles are present in the cytoplasm of the cell, which helps to store minerals and water.
Chloroplast is present in the cells, which helps in performing photosynthesis.
The presence of plastids is responsible for making the required food.

Animal Cell Characteristics

animal cell

The significant features of the animal cell are

The genetic matter present within the nuclear membrane controls the primary function's activities of animal cells.
The nucleus provides the messages, and the various organelles drive the metabolic activities according to the received messages.
The mitochondria in the animal cell are responsible for conducting the process of producing energy. Therefore, the mitochondria are also referred to as the powerhouse of the cell.
Vesicles perform the transportation in the animal cell.
Minute organelles called ribosomes are responsible for the synthesis of protein.

How to Compare and Contrast the Animal Cell to the Plant Cell

Students often are given assignments and dissertations to write animal cells and plant cells and compare and contrast the animal cells to the plant cell. Students may face various difficulties in doing so, and they can take the help of our assignment help services for receiving help in writing such essays. To compare and contrast the animal cell to the plant cells, let's talk in detail about the similarities and differences of animal cells vs. plant cells.

What are the Major Differences between Plant and Animal Cells?

Category	Plant Cell	Animal Cell
Size	Plant cells are larger when compared to animal cells. The average size of plant cells ranges from 10mm to 100m in length.	Animal cells are not as big as plant cells and their size range is 10mm to 30mm.
Shape and structure	The Plant cells have a cell wall and therefore they are typically regular or cube-shaped.	The Animal cells do not possess a cell wall and therefore they are of varied sizes and have round or irregular shapes.
Energy Reserve	Plant cells store their energy in starch form.	Animal cells also store energy but in complex carbohydrate glycogen form.
Proteins	Plant cells are able to synthesize all of the 20 amino acids that are required to produce proteins.	Only 10 out of 20 required amino acids are produced naturally in animal cells.
Growth	Plant cells increase the cell size by becoming larger as a process of growth. Plant cells grow by absorption of water into the central vacuole.	The increase in size of the animal cells happens through an increase in cell numbers.
Cell wall	Plant cells possess a cell wall that is made of cellulose. Plant cells also have a cell membrane.	Animal cells do not have a cell wall but do have a cell membrane.

These are the major differences between plant and animal cells. Apart from these, there are various other minor points of difference between both the cell types related to centrioles, cilia, cytokinesis, glyoxysomes, lysosomes, plastids plasmodesmata, vacuoles, and so on.

What are the Essential Similarities between Plant Cell and Animal Cell?

In Spite of a vast number of differences between them, there are some essential similarities also present between the plant and animal cell. A few points for the similarities between plant cells and animal cells are:

plant cell and animal cell similarities

Both these cells contain a nucleus. Therefore called eukaryotic cells.
Both the animal and plant cells have a cell membrane which is the outermost limiting membrane that encompasses all the cell contents.
Both the plant and animal cells have organelles like mitochondria, nucleus, peroxisomes, Golgi bodies, lysosomes.
In both types of cells, cytoskeleton and cytosol elements are the major parts of the systems.
Since there are many similarities in the systems present in animal and plant cells, the working principles followed by both types of cells are also highly similar to each other.

Assignment on Animal and Plant Cells

Students of biology in high schools, colleges, and universities are required to often write assignments and conduct original research on the cellular systems and plant and animal cells. It can indeed be exhausting to write quality assignments, given the hectic nature of the lives of the students. In such cases, they can easily take our assessment help service. A few snapshots of an assignment file on the cellular systems are given below, on which our experts have such amazing research based assignments that it enabled the student to secure HD grades in the assignment.

plant cell vs animal cell sample plant cell and animal cell help plant and animal body parts