Animal Cell Diagram (Labeled)
A labelled diagram of an animal cell, with every organelle, what it does and how big it is.
What is an animal cell?
An animal cell is the basic building block of every animal, from a sponge to a human. Unlike a plant cell, it has no cell wall, so it is held together only by a thin, flexible membrane. That is why animal cells come in so many shapes: flat skin cells, long nerve cells and red blood cells squeezed into discs that fit through the narrowest capillaries.
Animal cells cannot make their own food. They take in glucose and oxygen from the blood, and their mitochondria release the energy by respiration. Cells that work hard, such as muscle and sperm cells, are packed with extra mitochondria for this reason.
Inside, the nucleus holds the DNA and sends instructions out to the ribosomes, which build proteins. The endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus fold, package and send those proteins where they are needed, and lysosomes break down worn-out parts so they can be recycled.
Animal cell organelles and their functions
| Organelle | Ce qu'il fait | Taille |
|---|---|---|
| Membrane cellulaire | Une peau fine et flexible entourant la cellule. Elle contrôle ce qui entre et ce qui sort : nourriture et oxygène entrent, déchets sortent. | about 8 nm thick |
| Noyau | Retient l'ADN, les instructions pour construire et faire fonctionner la cellule. Il contrôle ce que fait la cellule en décidant quelles protéines sont produites. | about 6 µm across |
| Nucleolus | Un point dense à l'intérieur du noyau où les ribosomes sont assemblés. | about 1–2 µm |
| Mitochondrion | Libère de l'énergie du glucose par respiration aérobie (glucose + oxygène → dioxyde de carbone + eau). Les cellules actives comme les muscles en ont des milliers. | 1–2 µm long |
| Ribosomes | Tiny machines machines lisent les instructions copiées de l'ADN et réunissent des acides aminés pour former des protéines. | about 25 nm |
| Réticulum endoplasmique rugueux | Membranes pliées couvertes de ribosomes. Les protéines produites ici sont pliées et envoyées vers l'appareil de Golgi. | se propage à travers la cellule |
| Réticulum endoplasmique lisse | Tubes sans ribosomes qui fabriquent des graisses (lipides) et aident à décomposer les poisons. | un réseau de tubes |
| Appareil de Golgi | Empilements de sacs aplatis qui trient, emballent et étiquettent les protéines, puis les envoient dans de petites bulles (vésicules). | about 1–3 µm |
| Lysosome | Un sac d'enzymes digestives qui décompose les parties usées et les choses que la cellule a avalées. | 0.1–1 µm |
| Centrioles | Une paire de tubes courts qui aident à séparer les chromosomes lorsque la cellule se divise. | about 0.5 µm long |
| Cytoplasme | La gelée qui remplit la cellule. La plupart des réactions chimiques de la cellule se produisent ici, et les organites flottent dedans. | remplit la cellule |
Animal cell vs plant cell
Both have a nucleus, cytoplasm, membrane, mitochondria and ribosomes. Only plant cells have a cell wall, chloroplasts and a large vacuole: compare them on the plant cell diagram, or see a quick overview on the cell diagram page.
Open the same animal cell in 3D below: spin it, slice it open and pull each organelle out on its own.
Foire aux questions
What are the parts of an animal cell?
Cell membrane, cytoplasm, nucleus (with a nucleolus), mitochondria, ribosomes, rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, lysosomes and centrioles.
What does an animal cell not have that a plant cell has?
No cell wall, no chloroplasts and no large permanent vacuole. That is why animal cells are rounder and softer, and cannot make their own food by photosynthesis.
What does an animal cell have that a plant cell usually doesn’t?
Centrioles (which help the cell divide) and lysosomes (bags of digestive enzymes).
How big is an animal cell?
Most are 10–30 micrometres across: about a tenth of the width of a human hair, so you need a microscope to see one.
