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Animal, Plant, and Fungal Cells Share One Blueprint but Differ in Key Structures
- All three groups are built from the same basic eukaryotic cell, with a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.
- Their structural differences reflect the different roles that animals, plants, and fungi play in nature.
Cell Walls: Plants Use Cellulose, Fungi Use Chitin, Animals Have None
Plant Cells
- Plant cells have a rigid cell wall made of cellulose.
- This wall keeps the cell in shape, withstands stress, and stops it bursting when it takes in water.
Tip
- The wall is rigid but still lets water, gases, and nutrients pass through freely.
Fungal Cells
- Fungal cell walls are made of chitin, a strong and flexible polymer.
- This lets fungi survive in many places, from decaying logs to stored food.
Common Mistake
- Many students wrongly assume fungal cell walls are made of cellulose.
- They are actually made of chitin, a distinction often tested in IB exams.
Animal Cells
- Animal cells have no cell wall.
- They rely on a flexible plasma membrane instead, which lets them take on many shapes and move.
Tip
- The lack of a cell wall is why animal cells are more flexible than the rigid cells of plants and fungi.
Vacuoles: Plants Keep One Large Central Vacuole, Animals Keep Small Temporary Ones
Plant Cells
- A large central vacuole, often filling up to 90% of the cell, stores water, nutrients, and waste.
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- A2.2.8 Differences in eukaryotic cell structure between animals, fungi, and plants
- A2.2.9 Atypical cell structure in eukaryotes
- A2.2.10 Cell types and cell structures viewed in light and electron micrographs
- A2.2.11 Drawing and annotation based on electron micrographs