How to identify parts of plant and animal cells?
Plant cells have cell walls, which make them appear rectangular-shaped. These structures are composed of cellulose, hemicellulose, and a variety of other materials. B) Plant cells have chlorophyll, the light-absorbing pigment required for photosynthesis. This pigment is contained in structures called chloroplasts, which makes plants appear green. C) Plants cells have a large, central vacuole. While animal cells may have one or more small vacuoles, they do not take up the volume that the central vacuole does (up to 90% of the entire cell volume!). The vacuole stores water and ions, and may be used for storage of toxins. In addition, some plant cells (especially those found in seeds) have specialized microbodies called glyoxysomes. In the picture above, these appear as black dots scattered throughout the cytoplasm. These function in converting fatty acids to carbohydrates.
