Definition · Plain-language
Plant cell
A plant cell is a eukaryotic cell that makes up plants, with a cell wall, chloroplasts and a large vacuole on top of the parts shared with animal cells.
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The building block of plants
A plant cell is the smallest living unit that makes up a plant, and like an animal cell it is eukaryotic, keeping its DNA in a nucleus. What sets it apart is that plants make their own food by photosynthesis and have no skeleton to hold them up, so plant cells carry extra structures to do both jobs. These additions give plant cells their characteristic fixed, box-like shape and explain why a leaf can be green and a stem can stand upright without bones.
The three plant extras
Three structures appear in plant cells but not animal cells. The cell wall is a tough layer of cellulose outside the membrane that gives the cell strength and a regular shape, supporting the whole plant. Chloroplasts are green organelles containing chlorophyll, where photosynthesis traps light energy to make glucose. The large central vacuole is a fluid-filled sac that stores cell sap; when full it presses outwards against the wall, keeping the cell firm — which is why a watered plant stands up and a dry one wilts.
The shared core
Beyond its extras, a plant cell has the same essential parts as an animal cell. The cell membrane lies just inside the wall and controls what passes in and out. The nucleus holds the genetic material and directs the cell. The cytoplasm is the fluid where reactions occur. Ribosomes build proteins, and mitochondria release energy by respiration — yes, plant cells respire as well as photosynthesise, because they need energy day and night. So a plant cell is best seen as the animal-cell core plus three structures for support and food-making.
Key facts
At a glance
- Definition: the eukaryotic cell that makes up plants
- Cell wall: rigid cellulose layer for support and shape
- Chloroplasts: green organelles that carry out photosynthesis
- Vacuole: a large permanent sap-filled vacuole keeps the cell firm
- Shared core: nucleus, membrane, cytoplasm, ribosomes, mitochondria
- Also respires: plant cells respire as well as photosynthesise
Common misconceptions
What people often get wrong
Often heard: Plant cells only photosynthesise and do not respire.
Actually: Plant cells do both. They photosynthesise in the light to make glucose, but they also respire all the time, like animal cells, to release energy from that glucose. Photosynthesis makes food; respiration releases its energy.
Often heard: Every plant cell is green and full of chloroplasts.
Actually: Only cells exposed to light, mainly in leaves and green stems, are packed with chloroplasts. Root cells and many others have few or none, because they are not where photosynthesis happens. Not all plant cells are green.
Often heard: The cell wall and the cell membrane are the same thing.
Actually: They are different layers. The cell membrane is a thin, flexible layer that controls what enters and leaves. The cell wall is a tough outer layer of cellulose, outside the membrane, that gives support and shape. A plant cell has both.
Going deeper
