plant cell and animal cell

Plant and animal cells have several differences and similarities. For example, animal cells do not have a cell wall or chloroplasts but plant cells do. Animal cells are round and irregular in shape while plant cells have fixed, rectangular shapes.

Animal Cell
Plant Cell
Cell wall Absent Present (formed of cellulose)
Shape Round (irregular shape) Rectangular (fixed shape)
Vacuole One or more small vacuoles (much smaller than plant cells). One, large central vacuole taking up 90% of cell volume.
Centrioles Present in all animal cells Only present in lower plant forms.
Chloroplast Animal cells don 't have chloroplasts Plant cells have chloroplasts because they make their own food
Cytoplasm Present Present
Endoplasmic Reticulum (Smooth and Rough) Present Present
Ribosomes Present Present
Mitochondria Present Present
Plastids Absent Present
Golgi Apparatus Present Present
Plasma Membrane only cell membrane cell wall and a cell membrane
Microtubules/ Microfilaments Present Present
Flagella May be found in some cells May be found in some cells
Lysosomes Lysosomes occur in cytoplasm. Lysosomes usually not evident.
Nucleus Present Present
Cilia Present It is very rare

Contents: Plant Cell vs Animal Cell
1 Chloroplasts
2 Shape
3 Vacuoles
3.1 Shape and size of vacuoles
3.2 Difference in function of vacuoles
4 Pictures of plant and animal cells
5 Video comparing plant and animal cells
6 Types of plant cells
7 References
Chloroplasts
Plant cells have chloroplast for photosynthesis whereas animal cells do not have chloroplasts.
Shape
Another difference between plant cells and animal cells is that animal cells are round whereas plant cells are rectangular.
Further, all animal cells have centrioles whereas only some lower plant forms have centrioles in their cells.
Vacuoles
Shape and size of vacuoles
Animal cells have one or more small vacuoles whereas plant cells have one large central vacuole that can take up to 90% of cell volume.

References: Chloroplasts Plant cells have chloroplast for photosynthesis whereas animal cells do not have chloroplasts. Shape Another difference between plant cells and animal cells is that animal cells are round whereas plant cells are rectangular. Further, all animal cells have centrioles whereas only some lower plant forms have centrioles in their cells. Vacuoles Shape and size of vacuoles Animal cells have one or more small vacuoles whereas plant cells have one large central vacuole that can take up to 90% of cell volume. Difference in function of vacuoles In plant cells, the function of vacuoles is to store water and maintain turgidity of the cell. Vacuoles in animal cells store water, ions and waste.