Size

Animal cells are generally smaller than plant cells. Animal cells range from 10 to 30 micrometers in length, while plant cells range from 10 and 100 micrometers in length.

Shape

Animal cells come in various sizes and tend to have round or irregular shapes. Plant cells are more similar in size and are typically rectangular or cube shaped.

Energy Storage

Animals cells store energy in the form of the complexcarbohydrateglycogen. Plant cells store energy as starch.

Proteins

Of the 20amino acidsneeded to produceproteins, only 10 can be produced naturally in animal cells. The other so-called essential amino acids must be acquired through diet. Plants are capable of synthesizing all 20 amino acids.

Differentiation

In animal cells, onlystem cellsare capable of converting to other cell types. Most plant cell types are capable of differentiation.

Growth

Animal cells increase in size by increasing in cell numbers. Plant cells mainly increase cell size by becoming larger. They grow by absorbing more water into the centralvacuole.Cell Wall

Animal cells do not have acell wallbut have acell membrane. Plant cells have a cell wall composed of cellulose as well as a cell membrane.

Centrioles

Animal cells contain these cylindrical structures that organize the assembly of microtubules duringcell division. Plant cells do not typically contain centrioles.

Cilia

Cilia are found in animal cells but not usually in plant cells.Ciliaaremicrotubulesthat aid in cellular locomotion.