How can you determine that a dividing cell you are seeing under a microscope is of an animal or a plant?

Answer

To determine whether a dividing cell observed under a microscope is an animal or a plant cell, you can follow these steps:

1. **Observe the Cytokinesis Process**:
- When you look at the dividing cell, focus on the process of cytokinesis, which is the final stage of cell division where the cytoplasm divides to form two daughter cells.

2. **Identify the Cleavage Furrow in Animal Cells**:
- In animal cells, during cytokinesis, a structure known as the cleavage furrow forms. This is a constriction that appears around the middle of the cell. The cleavage furrow is created by a contractile ring made of actin and myosin filaments that pinches the cell membrane inward, leading to the separation of the two daughter cells.

3. **Look for Cell Plate Formation in Plant Cells**:
- In contrast, plant cells do not form a cleavage furrow. Instead, they undergo a process where a cell plate forms in the middle of the cell. This cell plate is derived from vesicles that fuse together, originating from the Golgi apparatus. As these vesicles coalesce, they form a new cell wall that separates the two daughter cells.

4. **Check for Structural Differences**:
- Additionally, you can look for other structural differences. Animal cells are generally more flexible and do not have a rigid cell wall, while plant cells have a defined cell wall that is evident in the cell plate formation.

5. **Conclusion**:
- By observing the presence of a cleavage furrow in animal cells or a cell plate in plant cells, you can accurately determine whether the dividing cell is from an animal or a plant.