Plant and animal cell comparison

Plant and animal cells share several structures that carry out the same basic activities. A typical plant cell also has structures that support it and enable photosynthesis.

Structures shared by plant and animal cells

• The cell membrane controls the movement of substances into and out of the cell.
• The cytoplasm is where many chemical reactions occur.
• The nucleus contains genetic material and controls the activities of the cell.
• Ribosomes make proteins.
• Mitochondria are the sites of aerobic respiration, which releases energy for the cell.

Structures of a typical plant cell

A typical plant cell has three additional structures:

• The cell wall lies outside the cell membrane. It supports the cell and helps maintain its shape.
• Chloroplasts absorb light for photosynthesis.
• A large vacuole contains cell sap and helps keep the cell firm.

Animal cells do not have a cell wall or chloroplasts. Not every plant cell contains chloroplasts, but in diagrams and images, the combination of a cell wall, chloroplasts and a large vacuole identifies a typical plant cell. The shared structures can be identified in both plant and animal cells.

Eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells

Cells contain genetic material made of DNA, but they differ in where that DNA is found. In a eukaryotic cell, the DNA is enclosed within a nucleus. In a prokaryotic cell, the DNA is not enclosed within a nucleus.

Both types of cell have cytoplasm and a cell membrane. The cell membrane forms a boundary around the cytoplasm and controls the movement of substances into and out of the cell.

Eukaryotic cells

Plant and animal cells are eukaryotic. Their nucleus encloses their genetic material, separating it from the surrounding cytoplasm.

Prokaryotic cells

Bacterial cells are prokaryotic and are much smaller than plant and animal cells. A bacterial cell has cytoplasm and a cell membrane, with a cell wall surrounding the membrane.

A bacterial cell has no nucleus enclosing its genetic material. Its main DNA forms a single loop in the cytoplasm. It may also contain one or more plasmids: small rings of DNA separate from the main DNA loop. Plasmids are not present in every bacterial cell.