Plant and Animal Cells Overview

Study Notes

Plant and Animal Cells

Plant and animal cells share similarities and differences.
Plant cells have a cell wall outside the cell membrane, protecting the cell like a house's compound wall. Animal cells do not have a cell wall.
The cell membrane is the outer covering of the animal cell.
Plant cells contain chloroplasts, which are absent in animal cells. Chloroplasts are essential for photosynthesis, enabling plants to produce glucose.
Cytoplasm, a semi-solid material, holds the cell's organelles in both plant and animal cells.
Both cell types possess a nucleus containing chromosomes, which are composed of DNA and hold genetic information.
RNA is created in the nucleus and moves to the cytoplasm.
Ribosomes in the cytoplasm, aided by RNA, produce proteins.
Rough endoplasmic reticulum (ER) with attached ribosomes is involved in protein production.
The Golgi body, or Golgi apparatus, modifies and packages proteins. It acts like a cellular post office, adding addresses to direct proteins to their destinations—plasma membrane, ER, nucleus, or outside the cell.
Mitochondria, the cell's powerhouse, is present in both plant and animal cells. Mitochondria break down food sugars and generate ATP for cellular energy.
Plant vacuoles, larger than those in animal cells, store waste materials, and sometimes contain oils whose smell can deter herbivores.
Lysosomes, present in animal cells, are known as "suicidal bags," containing about 40 hydrolytic enzymes that break down ingested materials, including bacteria. Lysosomes are key to defending the cell from infection.
The nucleus, a double-membrane organelle, is the cell's control center.
The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a network-like structure transporting proteins to the Golgi body.
The Golgi body is composed of flat, sac-like structures, critical for protein packaging and distribution.
Mitochondria and chloroplasts are both double-membrane organelles.
Chloroplasts, found only in plant cells, carry out photosynthesis.
Vacuoles help remove waste products from the cell; plant vacuoles are significantly larger than animal cell vacuoles.

Description

This quiz explores the key similarities and differences between plant and animal cells. Learn about essential organelles, such as the cell wall and chloroplasts, and their specific functions. Understand the role of the nucleus and ribosomes in protein production.