1. Cell Wall: A rigid outer layer made of cellulose, hemicellulose, and pectin. It provides structural support and protection, allowing plants to grow tall and withstand environmental pressures.
2. Chloroplasts: These organelles contain chlorophyll, the green pigment that captures light energy for photosynthesis. This process converts sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide into sugars for energy.
3. Vacuole: A large central vacuole that stores water, nutrients, and waste products. It also helps maintain turgor pressure, keeping the plant rigid and upright.
4. Plasmodesmata: These are channels that connect the cytoplasm of adjacent plant cells, allowing for communication and the transport of molecules between cells.
5. Plastids: In addition to chloroplasts, plant cells have other plastids like chromoplasts (store pigments) and leucoplasts (store starch).
6. Amyloplasts: These are specialized plastids that store starch, a form of energy reserve.
While animal cells lack these structures, they have other specialized organelles that allow them to perform different functions, such as lysosomes for cellular digestion and centrioles for cell division.
