Differences Between Animal and Plant Cells
Robert Sullivan Period 3, Biology 11/18/2007 Plant Cell Paper Plant Cell The plant cell is seemingly less complicated then the animal cells. Having the necessary nucleus which holds the cells DNA and produces ribosomes that help in the synthesis of proteins. Surrounding the nucleus is the rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum. The two help break down and store materials. Rough stores and transports synthesized proteins, while smooth stores and transports synthesized lipid, steroid hormones, and other materials.
Small, but useful organelles within the cell are the mitochondrion, the secretory vesicles, the lysosome. Centrosome, and the peroxisomes. Mitochondrion is about the size of bacteria, but is the power center of a cell. Secretory Vesicles (hormones, neurotransmitters) are packaged in the Golgi and are transported to the surface to release their chemicals. Lysosome are rarely found in the plant cells, but are necessary for intracellular digestion. Centrosome are an area where microtubule are produced for cell division.
Peroxisomes are membrane-bound packets of oxidative enzymes that help convert fatty acids to sugar and assist chloroplasts in photorespiration. Four big parts within the cell are the vacuole, the chloroplast, and the cytosol, and the cell wall. The vacuole is a membrane sac that works the intracellular digestion and release of cellular waste products. Vacuoles are fairly large in plant cells. Playing several roles; storing nutrients and waste products , helping increase cell size during growth, and acting much like lysosomes in animal cells.
They regulate the pressure in the cell and collect water to keep the plant from wilting. Chloroplasts are specialized organelles fond in all higher plan cells. Those organelles contain the plants chlorophyll which is responsible for the plant green color. The cytosol is the soup like liquid that all other organelles reside in and where most of the cellular metabolism occurs. Lastly the cell wall which animal cells do not have. It is a rigid protective wall made up of polysaccharides. Polysaccharides are replaced in higher plants with cellulose.
