Plant and animal cells share the organelles you just met. Plant cells add three parts of their own.
Key idea
Plant cells have a cell wall, chloroplasts and a large central vacuole; animal cells have none of these. Both have a membrane, cytoplasm, a nucleus, mitochondria, ribosomes, ER and a Golgi apparatus.
| Part | Plant cell | Animal cell |
|---|---|---|
| Cell wall (stiff support) | Yes | No |
| Chloroplasts (make sugar from light) | Yes | No |
| Large central vacuole (keeps the cell firm) | Yes | Small vacuoles only |
| Mitochondria (release energy) | Yes | Yes |
| Nucleus, membrane, ribosomes | Yes | Yes |
Why it works
Each extra part fits a plant's way of life. A plant cannot move to find food, so chloroplasts make it from light. It has no skeleton, so stiff walls and water-filled vacuoles hold it up; a wilting plant is one whose vacuoles have lost water. But a plant still has to use its sugar, so it needs mitochondria too.
Worked examples
Worked example: Night shift
At night, which organelle releases energy from sugar in a leaf cell?
- There is no light, so the chloroplasts are not making sugar.
- Mitochondria keep breaking down sugar made during the day.
Answer: The mitochondria.
Worked example: Identify the cell
A cell under the microscope has a stiff outer wall and green oval bodies. Plant or animal?
- A wall and chloroplasts are found only in plant cells.
Answer: A plant cell.
Common mistake
Thinking plant cells have chloroplasts instead of mitochondria. They have both: chloroplasts make sugar, and mitochondria release its energy, day and night. Check: a plant in the dark stays alive for days, living on stored sugar.