Inside a Plant and an Animal Cell
≈ 20 minA cell is not an empty box. It contains organelles — small structures, each with a specific job.
| Organelle | Job | Found in |
|---|---|---|
| Cell membrane | Controls what enters and leaves the cell | Plant and animal |
| Cytoplasm | Jelly-like fluid where most reactions happen | Plant and animal |
| Nucleus | Control centre; holds the DNA instructions | Plant and animal |
| Mitochondria | Release energy from food during respiration | Plant and animal |
| Vacuole | Storage; large and permanent in plants, tiny in animals | Both, very different sizes |
| Cell wall | Rigid cellulose layer giving shape and support | Plant only |
| Chloroplast | Contains chlorophyll; carries out photosynthesis | Plant only |
The three plant-only features — cell wall, chloroplasts and one large permanent vacuole — are what make plant cells look like neat rectangular boxes under the microscope, while animal cells look like soft, rounded blobs.
Worked example. A learner puts a specimen on the stage and writes down what she sees: a rounded shape with no firm outline, a dark nucleus near the middle, jelly filling it, no green parts, no big empty space in the centre.
Work through the checklist:
- No rigid rectangular outline → no cell wall → not a plant cell.
- No green structures → no chloroplasts.
- No large central space → no permanent vacuole.
The evidence points to an animal cell — most likely a cheek cell.
Which structure is found in a plant cell but not in an animal cell?
Name the organelle that releases energy from food during respiration.
Under a microscope a cell shows: a rigid rectangular outline, a cell membrane, cytoplasm, a nucleus pushed to one side, one large central vacuole — but no chloroplasts. What is it most likely to be?
Thandi writes: "Plant cells have a cell wall instead of a cell membrane." Why is this wrong?