Content Writer-SME | Updated On - Oct 22, 2024
The diagram of an animal cell shown below in this article shows that animal cells are eukaryotic cells with a membrane bound nucleus. The absence of a cell wall along with cell organelles enclosed within the membrane of the cell are the exclusive characteristics of animal cell.
The animal cell ranges in size from microns to millimetres. Some animal cells are oval, flat or even rod-shaped. Thus, Diagram of Animal Cell is very important for better understanding of the structure and functions of an animal especially for class 9th and 11th students.
What is Animal Cell?
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The animal cell is a typical Eukaryotic cell enclosed by a plasma membrane containing a nucleus and organelles which lack cell walls, unlike all other eukaryotic cells. The typical animal cell ranges in size between 1-100 micrometres.
- The lack of cell walls enabled the animal cells to develop a greater diversity of cell types.
- Animals possess a diversity of characteristics ranging from corals to large carnivores.
- The lack of a cell wall helps animals to develop characteristics such as defence, flexibility, and reproduction.
Diagram of Animal Cell
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The diagram of animal cell shown below is a complex structure comprised of various components. The animal cell is protected by which consists of cell organelles in it. The first animal cell observed under an optical microscope clearly showed the nucleus and microfilament network in red and blue colours respectively. The diagram of the animal cell demonstrating the organelles present in it is as given below.
A Well-Labelled Animal Cell Diagram
As seen in the animal cell diagram, the cells contain membrane-bound nuclei. The nucleus is covered with a rough Endoplasmic Reticulum and other organelles each designed for a specific purpose. A thorough understanding of the structure of the animal cell is important to understand the basic terminology and concepts of cell biology.
Animal Cell Structure
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The structure of animal cells varies from cell to cell. Some may be oval or cylindrical shaped. They are also available in vivid shapes such as convex, concave, spherical, and rectangular. Due to the absence of a cell wall, it continuously changes its shape and these variations can be observed under a microscope but the organelles don’t undergo any changes. Animal cells are smaller than plant cells and have an irregular shape due to the absence of their cell wall. Both animal and plant cells have evolved from eukaryotic cells.
Animal Cell Structure
Cell Organelles in Animal Cell
A typical animal cell has the following cell organelles:
- The Cell Membrane is the thin semi-permeable layer of phospholipids surrounding the cell. It protects the cell. With hair-like structures – cilia and flagella, the cell membrane controls the entry and exit of nutrients into the animal cell.
- The cytoplasm is a jelly-like structure spread all over the cell containing all the cell organelles in it. It is responsible for the expansion, growth, and replication of the cell. It is a medium in which chemical reactions take place in the animal cell.
- The nucleus, enclosed by different membranes, is the brain of the cell. It is responsible for storing hereditary material – DNA and other genetic materials in the cell. The nucleus coordinates with different cell activities such as growth and reproduction.
- Nuclear Membrane is the membrane that encloses the cell nucleus. As seen in the diagram of animal cell, it mainly separates chromosomes from the rest of the cell and is also known as a nuclear envelope.
- The centrosome is an organelle with a thick bundle of cells. It consists of 9 bundles of microtubules found in animal cells.
- Lysosomes are the centres of the digestive system that control the process of digestion and handle the process of excretion.
- Golgi Apparatus is a sac-like organ near the nucleus of the animal cell. It stores and transports the chemical materials in the cell.
- Ribosomes are the smallest organelles of the cell comprising 60% RNA and 40% protein. Also known as RNA-rich sites, they are responsible for protein synthesis.
- Mitochondria are rod-shaped organs in the cytoplasm known as powerhouses of cells that convert oxygen into energy.
- Endoplasmic Reticulum is a group of sacs that carry and manufacture chemical compounds inside and outside of the cell to provide a pipeline to the nucleus and cytoplasm.
- A vacuole is responsible for aligning cells and correcting their shapes.
- Nucleopore are the tiny pores on the nucleus which are involved in the movement of acids and proteins within the cell
- Intermediate Filaments are the fibrous materials of the cell responsible for maintaining the rigidity of cell.
- Microtubules are responsible for supporting, storing and transporting procedures of cell
- Cilia and Flagella are the hair-like structures on the cell membrane of the animal cell diagram. It supports the membrane to carry out the entry and exit process of nutrients.
- Microfilaments are the rounded structures on the cell that forms a part of the cytoskeleton
- Peroxisomes are round spherical organelles with a single membrane that carry the oxidation process of the cell.
Location & Functions of Important Cell Organelles
The location and functions of some important cell organelles present in the diagram of animal cell are mentioned below in the tabular form:
| Name of Cell Organelle | Location | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Nucleus | Centre of the cell | Contains DNA and involved in gene regulation. |
| Golgi Apparatus | Near Nucleus and Centrosome | Modifies and transport proteins and lipids. |
| Mitochondria | Inside the Cytoplasm | Provides energy to the cell. |
| Endoplasmic Reticulum | Between Nuclear membrane and Cytoplasm | Detoxification of chemicals, and Lipids production. |
| Ribosomes | In the Cytoplasm and on the surface of Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum | Protein synthesis |
Things to Remember
- A cell is the basic unit of life which is classified into plant cell and animal cell.
- Plant cells have a cell wall, vacuole, and chloroplasts, which are not present in animal cells.
- Animal cells are eukaryotic cells which lacks cell wall.
- Animal cell diagram helps us to understand the structure and functioning of processes in animals.
- Some of the cell organelles of an animal cell include the cell membrane, the nucleus, ribosomes, mitochondria, etc.
Sample Questions
Ques. What is the use of cell division in organisms? (1 Mark)
Ans. It helps with the growth, maintenance and repair of organisms.
Ques. For which organisms cell theory is not applicable and why? (1 Mark)
Ans. Cell theory is not applicable to viruses as they cannot be treated as alive without a host.
Ques. What happens if there are no cells? (2 Marks)
Ans. Cells make up tissues, like connective tissue, skeletal tissue, nervous tissue and fatty tissue. Tissues make up organs like your heart, liver, your brain, spleen, stomach and so on. With no cells, there are no tissues or organs. Humans would not exist. If there are no cells, life is not possible on earth.
Ques. How are animals protected without a cell wall? (2 Marks)
Ans. Animal cells do not have cell walls because they do not need them. Cell walls, which are found in plant cells, maintain cell shape, almost as if each cell has its own exoskeleton. This rigidity allows plants to stand upright without the need for bones.
Ques. How are lysosomes essential for the functioning of Animal cells? (2 Marks)
Ans. These carry out the digestive operations of the cell. Lysosomes function as the digestive system of the cell, serving both to degrade material taken up from outside the cell and to digest obsolete components of the cell itself. Lysosomes thus represent morphologically diverse organelles defined by the common function of degrading intracellular material.
Ques. Explain the functioning of the cytoplasm. (3 Marks)
Ans. The cytoplasm can be divided into two primary parts: the endoplasm (endo-,-plasm) and ectoplasm (ecto-,-plasm). The endoplasm is the central area of the cytoplasm that contains the organelles. The ectoplasm is the more gel-like peripheral portion of the cytoplasm of a cell.
The cytoplasm is the gel-like fluid inside the cell. It is the medium for chemical reactions. It provides a platform upon which other organelles can operate within the cell. All of the functions for cell expansion, growth and replication are carried out in the cytoplasm of a cell. Within the cytoplasm, materials move by diffusion, a physical process that can work only for short distances.
Ques. What are unicellular organisms and how are they categorized? (4 Marks)
Ans. Organisms having single cells are called unicellular organisms
- Prokaryotic: Prokaryotes are microscopic single-celled organism that doesn’t have a separate nucleus with a membrane or specialized organelles. Prokaryotes include bacteria and archaea. Prokaryote life started over 4 billion years ago, feeding off the early carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, steam, nitrogen, hydrogen, and ammonia atmosphere.
- Eukaryotic: Eukaryotes are a cell or organisms that have a clearly defined nucleus. The eukaryotic cell has a nuclear membrane that surrounds the nucleus, in which the well-defined chromosomes are located. Eukaryotic cells also contain organelles, including mitochondria, a Golgi apparatus, an endoplasmic reticulum, and lysosomes. However, there are several exceptions to this; for example, the absence of mitochondria and a nucleus in red blood cells and the lack of mitochondria in the oxymonad Monocercomonoides species.
Ques. What is the main difference between plant and animal cells? (5 Marks)
Ans. The difference between plant cells and animals cell is as follows:
| Basis | Plant Cell | Animal Cell |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | They are eukaryotic cells with a real nucleus and specialized components called organelles that carry out particular tasks. | They are eukaryotic cells without a cell wall that also include other cellular organelles including a genuine, membrane-bound nucleus. |
| Shape | They have a stiff, fixed shape that is typically cubical or rectangular. | They are shaped obliquely and spherical. |
| Cell wall | The cell wall is present. | The cell wall is not present. |
| Surrounded By | Plasma membrane and cells with rigid walls. | The plasma membrane is flexible and thin. |
| Mitochondria | Present only occasionally. | Present in a significant number. |
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