The other parts of the plant cell, including the cell wall and the central vacuole, work for the purpose of giving the cells a firm structure. The cell stores liquid in its central vacuole that expands the vacuole onto cells’ sides. Cell walls then push into the wall of the other cells, generating the force that is called turgor pressure. Animals rely on skeletons for structure, the pressure of turgor in plant cells helps plants increase their height and get greater amounts of sunlight. Plant Cell Diagram The plant cell is rectangular and comparatively larger than the animal cell. Even though plant and animal cells are eukaryotic and share a few cell organelles, plant cells are quite distinct when compared to animal cells as they perform different functions. Some of these differences can be clearly understood when the cells are examined under an electron microscope. Diagrams are commonly used in textbooks and exams to test understanding of the plant cell model. Plant cells possess certain unique structures that are not present in animal cells: Plant Cell Wall: Provides mechanical strength and protection; made from cellulose. Vacuoles: Often the largest organelle in a plant cell, bounded by a single membrane called tonoplast. Function: Vacuoles play a major role in autophagy, maintaining a balance between biogenesis (production) and degradation of many substances and cell structures.
