Chapter 2

plant cells vs animal cells

Plant Cells Animal Cells

Have a cellulose cell wall outside the cell Have no cell wall
membrane
Have a cell membrane Have a cell membrane
Have cytoplasm Have cytoplasm
Have a nucleus Have a nucleus
Often have chloroplasts containing Have no chloroplasts
chlorophyll
Often have large vacuoles containing cell Have only small vacuoles
sap
Often have starch grains Never have starch grains; sometimes have
glycogen granules
Often regular in shape Often irregular in shape

Plant Cell
plant cell under light microscope
Animal Cell
Animal Cell under light microscope

Light microscopes shines light through the animal you’re looking at, it uses glass
lenses to magnify and focus the image.

Structures of cells

Cell Membrane:
All cells contain cell membranes. It is a very thin layer of protein and fat and controls
what enters and leaves the cell. It is partially Permeable meaning it will allow some
substances through but not others.

Cell Wall:
Found in plant cells; mainly made of cellulose. Cellulose forms fiber which
crisscrosses one another to form a very strong covering to the cell.
This protects and supports the cell. If the cell absorbs a lot of water and swells, the
cell wall will prevent it from bursting. It is fully Permeable as molecules are able to go
through the gaps.

Cytoplasm:
Clear jelly, nearly all water (about 70%) containing many different substances
dissolved in it, especially proteins. Many different metabolic reactions take place inside the
cytoplasm.

Vacuoles
Plants contain large vacuoles containing cell sap (solution of sugars and other
substances) the vacuoles press outwards on the cell and helps it keep its shape.
Animal cells have much smaller membrane – bound spaces, called vesicles, which
may contain food or water.
 Chloroplasts
Only found in green plant cells. They contain chlorophyll (the green pigment) which
absorbs energy from sunlight which is then used for making food for the plant by
photosynthesis.
They often contain starch grains, made by photosynthesis. Animal cells never contain
these but may contain glycogen, a similar starch found in the cytoplasm not inside
chloroplasts.

Nucleus
Genetic information is stores helping the cell to make the right sorts of proteins. The
information is kept on the chromosomes (inherited from organism’s parents) –
chromosomes are made from DNA.

Mitochondria
Found in almost all cells except those of prokaryotes. They are the powerhouse of
the cell. Inside them oxygen is used to release energy in the form of glucose during a
process called aerobic respiration.
Cells with high rates of metabolism require large numbers of mitochondria to
provide sufficient energy.
Glycogen reserved as fuel in animal cells can be used to fuel the mitochondria in the
liver cell or transported in blood to other cells that need it when requires.
(Starch is never found in animal cells – they store glycogen instead)

Ribosomes
Attached the rough endoplasmic reticulum (network of membranes that runs
throughout the cytoplasm) – they could also be scattered freely in cytoplasm. They are
found in all types of cells except prokaryotes.
Protein is made in the ribosomes by joining amino acids together in a long chain. This
is done according to instruction from DNA in Nucleus which specify the sequence amino
acids should be strung together in.
 Organisms

Tissues: a group of cells with similar structures, working together to perform a

shared function;
examples: your stomach lining make enzymes to help digest food
- Leaves of plants carry our photosynthesis.

Organ: structure made up of a group of tissues, working together to perform specific

functions.
Example: - Stomach, Heart, kidney lungs etc.
- Onion bulb or leaves

Organ System: a group of organs related function, working together to perform body
functions.
Example – respiratory system, digestive system, circulatory system, excretory system

Cells make up tissues – tissues make up organs – organs make up organ systems – organ
systems make up organisms

Example of an organizational system: ciliated cells make up the bronchus (tissue) which is
part of the respiratory system (organ system) which is part of a person (organism)

Specialized cells:

Ciliated cells:
Found in the trachea and bronchi; have tiny hair like projections that are aways moving.
Function: move mucus upward.

Root hair cells:

Found near the ends of plant roots; water moves into a root hair by osmosis
Function: absorb water and mineral salts

Xylem vessels:
Found in stems, roots and leaves of plants; made of many hollow, dead, cells joined end to
end. A long open tube as cell walls have disappeared. Made of cellulose and lignin.
Function: transport water and mineral salts; help in support

Palisade mesophyll cells:

Found beneath the epidermis of a leaf
Function: contain chlorophyll which absorbs light CO2 and releases glucose for energy
during photosynthesis.
Nerve cells
Found throughout the bodies of animals; make up the nervous system.
Function: transmit information in the form of electrical impulses

Red blood cells:

Found in the blood of mammals; made in bone marrow of some bones, produced at a fast
rate as they don’t live long.
Function: transport of oxygen.

Sperm and egg cells:

Found in testes and ovaries
Function: fuse together to produce a zygote for reproduction.

Magnification

Cells and structures are so small, we need a very small unit in which to measure them – so
we use the micrometer, symbol um

1 um = 1 x 10^-6m
1 m = 10^6 um

Real size in um = size of the image in um / magnification