(CSF) Types of Cells Lesson
Types of Cells Lesson
How Does Science Work?
Although both have very complex membrane bound organelles, there are differences between plant and animals cells.
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| Cell Wall | The cell membrane in plant cells is surrounded by a strong rigid layer called the cell wall. The cell wall helps shape and protect the plant cell. The cell wall is made mostly of a carbohydrate called cellulose. Cellulose helps provide strength and protection to the framework of the cell wall. When a plant does not get enough or too much water, the cell wall prevents its cells from bursting open. The cell wall helps regulate the turgor pressure inside a plant cell so it will not die. Turgor pressure is caused by the amount of pressure the organelles inside the cell exert on the cell wall. | |
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| Chloroplasts | Do you know why the leaves on plants look green? They are green because the chloroplasts contain a pigment called chlorophyll. Chloroplasts are organelles found in plant cells. Chloroplasts capture the energy from the sun to make food for the cell. This process is called photosynthesis. Animal cells do not have a cell wall or chloroplasts. | |
| Centrioles |
Centrioles are not present in plant cells. The animal cell has a pair of centrioles that are shaped like cylinders. During cell division, the centrioles move away from each other to opposite ends of the cell. Flagella and cilia, structures that help the cell move, are also formed from centrioles. |
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| Lysosome | Lysosomes are not typically found in plant cells. Lysosomes are small sacs (vesicles) of digestive enzymes that help to break down food, waste products, and poisons in cells. They also break down and recycle worn out organelle parts. | |
| Vacuoles | The vacuoles in plant cells are much larger than the vacuoles in animal cells. A mature plant cell usually has one large vacuole that can take up more than 80% of its volume. It is the largest organelle inside a plant cell. The vacuole can store water, nutrients, and waste products. The vacuoles  in plants can also provide structure and support within a plant. A drooping plant has vacuoles that have shrunken because it needs water. When the plant gets enough water, it will regain its structure and the vacuoles will get bigger because they have become full with water. An animal cell may or may not have vacuoles. The small organelles are used to store food, water, waste, and other materials. The vacuole of an animal cell also engulfs foreign materials and destroys them with the enzymes. |
Plant Cells Versus Animal Cells
Watch the following presentation about how animal and plant cells are alike as well as different.
Use the following activity to review your learning on plant vs. animal cells:
Eukaryotic vs. Prokaryotic Cells
All cells can be divided up into two types of cells: prokaryotic cells and eukaryotic.
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Prokaryotic cells do not have membrane bound organelles. Therefore prokaryotic cells are usually much smaller than the eukaryotic cell. The DNA inside a prokaryotic cell is not surrounded by a nuclear membrane and it floats in the cytoplasm. However, prokaryotic cells do have ribosomes, a cell wall, vacuoles, and vesicles. The cell wall within a prokaryotic cell is made up of peptidoglycan. The ribosomes inside a prokaryotic cell are much smaller and less complex compared to the ribosomes in a eukaryotic cell. All bacteria are prokaryotic cells. Almost all prokaryotes are unicellular, or single celled.
Eukaryotic cells have nuclear material that is protected by a nuclear membrane. Eukaryotes are made up of one cell or many cells. Plants, animals, protists, and fungi are eukaryotes.
Watch the video below to learn more about the functions of the different organelles found in eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells.
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