Animal & Plant Cells
- Cells are the structural units that makes up all living organisms
- Plants and animals are multicellular
- The main cellular structures in animal cells are:
- Nucleus
- Cell membrane
- Mitochondria (singular mitochondrion)
- Cytoplasm
- Plant cells also contain all of the main structures found in animal cells
- Plant cells contain the following additional structures:
- Cell wall made of cellulose
- Permanent vacuole
- Plant cells found in the leaf and stem may also contain chloroplasts
Cellular structures & functions table
| Structure | Function |
| Cytoplasm | Site of most cell reactions |
| Nucleus | Contains chromosomes which carry genetic information and so control the activities of the cell |
| Mitochondrion | Site of aerobic respiration |
| Cell membrane | Controls the movement of substances into and out of the cell |
| Plant cells only: | |
| Cell wall (containing cellulose) | Structural support for plant cells |
| Chloroplast | Site of photosynthesis |
| Vacuole | Contains a solution of water and dissolved sugars known as cell sap; when the vacuole is filled with water it pushes the rest of the cell contents outwards against the cell wall, making the cell firm |
Animal and plant cell diagrams
Animal cells and plant cells contain a nucleus, cytoplasm, mitochondria and a cell membrane while plant cells also have a cellulose cell wall, chloroplasts and a permanent vacuole
Examiner Tip
You should be able to draw, label and annotate diagrams of both animal and plant cells.
