What are some of the key characteristics of animal cells?

Animal cells have many things that are similar to that of plant cells. However, the thing that makes animal cells special is this: Vacuole: The vacuole of the animal cell is very numerous and tiny, unlike that of plant cells. The vacuole stores food and nutrients needed for the plant to survive. read more

Animal cells have many things that are similar to that of plant cells. However, the thing that makes animal cells special is this: Vacuole: The vacuole of the animal cell is very numerous and tiny, unlike that of plant cells. read more

This is due mostly to the rigidity of the cell wall that animal cells lack. Another characteristic of animal cells is the many types of organelles. Among these structures and organelles are the cell membrane, centrioles, cytoplasm, endoplasmic reticulum, golgi complex, lysosomes, microtubules, mitochondria, nucleus, nucleollus, nucleopore, ribosomes, cytoskeleton, cilia, flagella and peroxisomes. read more

1. Plasma membrane- SELECTIVELY PERMEABLE, controls the flow of toxins, nutrients, etc into and out of the cell. 2. Detects what is going on outside of the cell and initiates response. (RECEPTORS, SIGNAL, CELL COMMUNICATION) 3. PROTECTS CYTOPLASM from toxic substances (lysosomes, peroxisomes, external environment) 4. read more