Tag: plant and animal cell

A most abundant compound in living organisms protoplasm is water. Plants contain even more water than animals do- most of them are anywhere from 90 to 95% water. In plants, about 85% of the fresh weight of leaves can be water. Each water molecule is made up of two hydrogen and one oxygen atom. Hence, hydrogen is the most abundant element in a plant body.

Plant cell is covered by a cellulosic cell wall. The cell wall is dead at maturity but grows when immature to permit cell elongation. Intussusception is growth by deposition of new materials between existing components of cell walls. Cell elongation occurs through intussusception. In apposition, new wall layers are laid. Growth of wall in new cells occurs through apposition.

The cell wall is a protective outer covering of the cell. It is mostly present in plant cells. It is not present in the animal cell. It supports the contents of the cell and protects from pathogen attack and wear and tear. It is made of cellulose. Cellulose is a natural polymer made of smaller sugar units. It gives remarkable strength to the wood. 

Cellulose is a structural polysaccharide found in the cell walls of plants.

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.

The main difference between an animal cell and a plant cell is that plant cells have a cell wall, which the animal cells lack. The cell wall which is made up of cellulose gives the plant cell rigidity resulting in a fixed, rectangular shape. Animal cells lack the rigidity hence, they tend to have a round and irregular shape. Animal cells tend to vary greatly in appearance. The cell wall allows high pressure to build inside of the plant cell without bursting. Due to this, the plant cell is able to accept large amounts of liquid through osmosis without bursting. Animal cells, which only have a thin membrane restricting access to the cell, tend to burst if they absorb too much extra water.

Cellulose forms an integral part of the cell wall which provides strength and rigidity to the cell. It helps to maintain the structural integrity of a particular cell. Cellulose is a complex polysaccharide which is made up of β(1→4) linked D-glucose units.

The plant cell contains three different types of cell organelles which have two membranes. The chloroplast, mitochondria and the nucleus are the organelles which are surrounded by double membranous structures. The chloroplast is involved in photosynthesis, mitochondria performs respiration and the nucleus controls the activity of the other organelles.