| Feature | Plant Cell | Animal Cell |
|---|---|---|
| Cell Wall | Present (made of cellulose) | Absent |
| Chloroplasts | Present | Absent |
| Vacuoles | Large, central vacuole | Small, temporary vacuoles |
| Centrosomes | Absent | Present |
| Shape | Fixed, usually rectangular | Irregular |
| Feature | Prokaryotic Cell | Eukaryotic Cell |
|---|---|---|
| Nucleus | Absent (nucleoid region) | Present (membrane-bound) |
| Size | Smaller (0.1-5 μm) | Larger (5-100 μm) |
| Organelles | Few or no membrane-bound organelles | Many membrane-bound organelles (mitochondria, ER, Golgi apparatus) |
| DNA | Circular, single chromosome | Linear, multiple chromosomes |
| Ribosomes | 70S | 80S |
| Examples | Bacteria, Archaea | Protists, Fungi, Plants, Animals |
| Feature | Cell Wall | Cell Membrane |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Outside the cell membrane (in plants, fungi, and bacteria) | Outermost layer in animal cells; inside the cell wall in other organisms |
| Composition | Cellulose (plants), chitin (fungi), peptidoglycan (bacteria) | Phospholipid bilayer with proteins |
| Function | Provides support, shape, and protection | Controls the movement of substances in and out of the cell |
| Permeability | Freely permeable | Selectively permeable |
| Presence in cells | Present in plant, fungal, and bacterial cells | Present in all cells |
| Feature | Cytoplasm | Nucleoplasm |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Fluid-filled space between the cell membrane and the nucleus | Fluid-filled space inside the nucleus |
| Contents | Organelles, cytosol, inclusions | Chromatin, nucleolus, nuclear matrix |
| Function | Site of many metabolic reactions | Supports the nucleus and provides a medium for nuclear activities |
| Feature | Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) | Golgi Apparatus |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | Network of interconnected membranes forming tubules and cisternae | Stack of flattened, membrane-bound sacs called cisternae |
| Function | Synthesis of proteins (Rough ER) and lipids (Smooth ER), transport | Modifies, sorts, and packages proteins and lipids |
| Association with Ribosomes | Rough ER has ribosomes attached; Smooth ER does not | No ribosomes attached |
| Feature | Mitochondria | Chloroplasts |
|---|---|---|
| Occurrence | Present in nearly all eukaryotic cells | Present in plant cells and some protists |
| Function | Cellular respiration (ATP production) | Photosynthesis (glucose production) |
| Structure | Double membrane; inner membrane folded into cristae | Double membrane; inner membrane forms thylakoids, which are stacked into grana |
| Energy Conversion | Converts chemical energy into ATP | Converts light energy into chemical energy |
| DNA | Contains its own DNA | Contains its own DNA |
| Feature | Lysosomes | Vacuoles |
|---|---|---|
| Function | Intracellular digestion, waste removal | Storage of water, nutrients, and waste; provides turgor pressure in plant cells |
| Enzymes | Contain hydrolytic enzymes | May contain enzymes, but primary function is storage |
| Membrane | Single membrane | Single membrane (tonoplast in plant cells) |
| Size and Number | Small and numerous | Large and fewer (especially in plant cells) |
| Feature | Chromatin | Chromosomes |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | Loosely packed DNA and proteins | Tightly packed DNA and proteins |
| Visibility | Not visible under a light microscope | Visible during cell division |
| State of DNA | Uncondensed | Condensed |
| Function | Genetic material during interphase | Separation of genetic material during cell division |
| Feature | Ribosomes | Nucleolus |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | Made of rRNA and proteins | Dense structure within the nucleus |
| Function | Protein synthesis | Ribosome synthesis and assembly |
| Location | Cytoplasm, Rough ER | Inside the nucleus |
| Feature | Parenchyma | Collenchyma | Sclerenchyma |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cell Wall | Thin, made of cellulose | Irregularly thickened at corners, made of cellulose and pectin | Thick, lignified |
| Intercellular Spaces | Large | Few or absent | Absent |
| Living/Dead | Living | Living | Dead |
| Function | Storage, photosynthesis, secretion | Provides mechanical support, elasticity, and tensile strength | Provides mechanical support and rigidity |
| Location | Cortex and pith of stems and roots, leaves, fruits | Leaf stalks, below epidermis in dicot stems | Stems, around vascular bundles, hard covering of seeds and nuts |
| Feature | Xylem | Phloem |
|---|---|---|
| Function | Transports water and minerals from roots to other plant parts | Transports food (sugars) from leaves to other plant parts |
| Direction of Transport | Unidirectional (upwards) | Bidirectional (upwards and downwards) |
| Cell Type | Tracheids, vessels, xylem parenchyma, xylem fibers | Sieve tubes, companion cells, phloem parenchyma, phloem fibers |
| Living/Dead | Mostly dead cells (except xylem parenchyma) | Mostly living cells (except phloem fibers) |
| Cell Wall | Thick, lignified | Thin, made of cellulose |
| Feature | Simple Tissues | Compound Tissues |
|---|---|---|
| Cell Type | Made up of one type of cell | Made up of more than one type of cell |
| Function | Perform a specific function | Perform various functions |
| Examples | Parenchyma, collenchyma, sclerenchyma | Xylem, phloem |
| Feature | Epithelial Tissue | Connective Tissue |
|---|---|---|
| Cell Arrangement | Tightly packed cells in continuous sheets | Cells scattered in an extracellular matrix |
| Function | Covers and protects surfaces, lines body cavities and glands | Connects, supports, and transports materials |
| Blood Supply | Avascular (no direct blood supply) | Usually vascular (has blood supply) |
| Examples | Skin, lining of the digestive tract | Blood, bone, cartilage |
| Feature | Cartilage | Bone |
|---|---|---|
| Matrix | Flexible, composed of chondroitin sulfate and collagen | Hard and rigid, composed of calcium phosphate and collagen |
| Blood Supply | Avascular | Vascular |
| Cells | Chondrocytes | Osteocytes |
| Function | Provides support and flexibility to joints and structures | Provides support, protection, and movement |
| Feature | Tendons | Ligaments |
|---|---|---|
| Connection | Connect muscle to bone | Connect bone to bone |
| Tissue Type | Dense regular connective tissue | Dense regular connective tissue |
| Elasticity | Less elastic | More elastic |
| Function | Transmit force from muscle to bone | Stabilize joints and provide support |
| Feature | Voluntary Muscles | Involuntary Muscles |
|---|---|---|
| Control | Under conscious control | Not under conscious control |
| Location | Attached to bones | Walls of internal organs |
| Examples | Biceps, triceps | Smooth muscle in the stomach, cardiac muscle in the heart |
| Appearance | Striated (striped) | Smooth (non-striated) |