When it comes to the kingdoms of Plantae and Animalia, the fundamental building blocks of life are plant cells and animal cells, respectively. They are both eukaryotic cells that have several shared functions and organelles. However, there are certain key functional and structural differences between the two. Understanding these differences is crucial for curriculum exams as well as competitive exams, including NEET, JEE, and Olympiads.
Let’s understand “What is the difference between plant cell and animal cell?”, along with their specialised functions.
Both animal & plant cells are eukaryotic, meaning they both have a membrane-bound nucleus. They also share common functions and organelles like mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum. However, they have key functional and structural differences, which reflect the roles these cells play in their respective organisms.
Let’s take a look at this table that highlights the difference between plant and animal cells:
Understanding the difference between plant and animal cells helps us understand these cells at a functional level, reflecting the roles they play in their respective organisms.
In the case of a plant cell, there is a rigid cell wall surrounding it. This cell wall is made of cellulose that offers protection and structural support to the cell. However, in animals, there is no cell wall. There is only a flexible plasma membrane that lets the cell adopt different shapes.
Chloroplasts, present in plant cells, help with photosynthesis. Green in colour, these chloroplasts are home to chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is what converts light energy into chemical energy. It is not found in animal cells.
One of the defining features of a plant cell is its large central vacuole, which stores water, nutrients, and waste products. Other than this, it also keeps the cell rigid by maintaining the turgor pressure. While animal cells do have a vacuole, it is smaller and is only involved in storage and transport. The vacuoles in animal cells don’t play a role in maintaining their structure.
There are four types of plastids found in plant cells: Chloroplasts, Chromoplasts, Gerontoplasts, and Leucoplasts. Each of them has a role to play in pigment synthesis and storage. Animal cells don’t contain plastids.
Centrioles are present in animal cells, where they help with cell division through mitosis and meiosis. Most higher plants don’t contain centrioles, though some lower plants might have them.
Plant and animal cells both have a well-organised nucleus enclosed in the nuclear membrane. Their nucleus has a role to play in the gene expression, reproduction, and growth of the organism. It also contains the genetic material of the cell.
Ribosomes are present in both cell types, either freely floating in the cytoplasm or attached to the surface of the rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER). These structures are responsible for protein synthesis.
Each cell is completely surrounded by a plasma membrane, also called the cell membrane, which is semi-permeable. It regulates the selective movement of solutes in and out of the cell, maintaining homeostasis.
Both smooth ER and rough ER are found in plant and animal cells:
Mitochondria (the powerhouse of the cell) are present in both plant and animal cells. These cell organelles are the site of aerobic respiration, where glucose is metabolised to produce Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP), also called the energy currency of the cell.
In both types of eukaryotic cells, the Golgi apparatus functions as the cell’s packaging and processing centre. It modifies, sorts, and packages proteins and lipids for transport within the cell or secretion outside the cell.
(Session 2026 - 27)