Biology · Cell: The Unit of Life · NEET
NCERT gives one clear line: plant cells have a cell wall, plastids and a large central vacuole, which are absent in animal cells. So the three plant-only structures are: (1) cell wall, (2) plastids, (3) large central vacuole. This one sentence is the whole basis of most NEET questions on this topic, so learn it word for word.
An animal cell CAN have vacuoles, but they are small, many and temporary. The difference is the SIZE. A plant cell has one LARGE central vacuole that can fill up to 90% of the cell. So do not write 'animal cells have no vacuole' in NEET. Write: animal cells have small vacuoles, plant cells have a large central vacuole. The NEET 2017 mismatch question tested exactly this trap.
Most higher (flowering) plant cells do NOT have centrioles. Centrioles are typical of animal cells, where they form the spindle fibres during cell division and the basal body of cilia and flagella. So centriole is usually an animal-cell feature. (Note: lower plants like some algae and mosses can have them, but for NEET treat centrioles as an animal-cell point.)
A plant cell has a cell wall made mainly of cellulose outside the plasma membrane. It gives the cell a fixed shape, gives support, and protects the cell when water enters and pushes outward (turgor pressure). Animal cells do not make food by themselves and move or change shape, so they have no cell wall, only a flexible plasma membrane. This is why plant cells look rectangular and animal cells look rounded.
No. Plastids, including chloroplasts, are found only in plant cells (and some protists). Chloroplasts trap sunlight to make food by photosynthesis. Animals get food by eating, so they never have chloroplasts or any plastid. If a NEET option pairs 'chloroplast' with 'animal cell', it is wrong.
Select the mismatch.
Try the real previous-year questions from this chapter — each with the answer and a full solution.
Cell wall, plastids (such as chloroplasts) and a large central vacuole. NCERT lists exactly these three as present in plant cells and absent in animal cells.
Centrioles (which form spindle fibres and the basal body of cilia/flagella) are typical of animal cells and are usually absent in higher plant cells.
No. The plasma (cell) membrane is present in BOTH plant and animal cells. The cell wall is an extra rigid layer of cellulose OUTSIDE the membrane, found only in plant cells.
Yes. Both are eukaryotic cells, so both have a true nucleus with a nuclear envelope, mitochondria, ER, Golgi, ribosomes and a plasma membrane. The differences are only the plant-only and animal-only extras.
Plant cells are usually larger and have a fixed, often rectangular shape because of the rigid cell wall. Animal cells are smaller and rounder because they have no wall.
