Do Humans Have Plant Cells: Interesting FACTS

Humans does not have plant cells since humans belongs to the kingdom Animalia and the members of kingdom Animalia do not possess a cell wall

Animal cells are lesser in size and possess a pliable external membrane (known as cell membrane) that permits nutrients and gases to pass by into the cell. However, plant cells are bigger and possess a cell wall at the boundary.

Contents

Difference between plant cell and human cell

The cellular structure can assist you with deciding whether you are checking out an animal or a plant cell.

Cell wall of plants is made of cellulose microfibrils that are rigid and make the plants stand without an endoskeleton. Animal or human cells do not contain cell wall. The outermost layer of animal cells is the plasma membrane which is made up of phospholipids.

These solid cell walls give strength to plants and prevent the cell from bursting even when the cell vacuole is filled with the excess amount of water during photosynthesis. The plant cell wall is impermeable; hence there are “entryways” at certain places in the cell wall known as plasmodesmata.  The more flexible design of animal cells likewise empowers the animals to move while most plants don’t locomote and stay where they were planted.

Vacuoles (membrane sacs) are utilized to transport and food, water, and waste. In-plant cells, these vacuoles are giant; indeed, they might take up most of the cell space and assist with keeping an equilibrium of water and ions. However, the animal cell’s vacuoles are smaller than the vacuole of plant cells but perform similar functions.

One more difference between animals and plants is the way of cell division. It happens through mitosis in both the cells, where a cell partitions to frame two new cells. However, the division process of external layers of these cells varies a lot. Since the cell wall in plant cells are strong, cell plate forms and promotes cytokinesis. In animal cells, the cytoplasm is pinched, and the two new cells are formed. 

do humans have plant cells
Do humans have plant cells: Key differences between human cell and plant cell. Image Credit: Wikimedia
FeaturePlant CellAnimal Cell
ChloroplastPresentNot present
GrowthHas ability to grow by absorbing water in central vacuoleNo such ability is found in animal cells
MitochondriaFew in numberEnormous in number
CiliaNot presentPresent
VacuoleSingle, Large and Centrally placedSmaller and often numerous
NutrientsCan synthesize amino acids, Vitamins and Co-EnzymesCannot synthesize such nutrients
PlastidsPresentAbsent
RibosomesPresentPresent
Golgi ApparatusSmaller and NumerousLarger and Fewer
CentrosomeSimpler and devoid of centriolesPresent and plays a crucial role in cell division
LysosomesRarely presentPresent and effectively involved in the digestion of damaged cellular components
Endoplasmic ReticulumPresentPresent
NucleusPresentPresent
Plasma MembranePresentPresent
Cell WallPresentAbsent
Storage FoodStarchGlycogen
ShapePolygonalIrregular
Size Range10-100 micrometres10-30 micrometres
Table: A detailed comparing of features exhibited by plant cell and animal cell

What do plant cells have that human cells don’t?

The animal cells are devoid of the cell. However, animal cells and plant cells have a cell membrane, mitochondria, cytoplasm, and nucleus in common.

The human cells do not have chloroplasts (a type of plastid that is green in color and responsible for carrying out the process of photosynthesis), a centrally placed giant vacuole, and a cell wall.

A chloroplast, a single central vacuole, and cell wall are not present in human cells. All cells, including human cells, have a flexible cell membrane. The plant cells are rectangular, while animal cells are generally round and irregular.

Why are plant cells dead?

Many of the plant tissues are dead since dead cells can provide mechanical strength as efficiently as living ones and needs little upkeep.

Animals move around looking for shelter, mates, and food. Animals require more energy than plants. Hence a large portion of the tissues is living. Basically, Plant and animal cells are eukaryotic cells and are likewise, to an enormous degree are similar to each other, more specifically the cell organelles.

xylem
Xylem is one of the dead tissue predominantly found in plants. Image Credit: MrgScience

In animals, dead cells are annihilated or digested/ destroyed and ousted from the body. However, the dead cells In plants get solidified with age and stay as a component of the body.

Each living being produces dead cells in its life span. Indeed, the dead won’t be helpful for us. However, this isn’t on account of plants. They additionally produce and retain dead cells. The plant cell dies slowly after maturation. After death, cells become rigid and give more mechanical strength equivalent to the living cells. That’s why the majority of the fully grown trees are solid due to this reason, and they have immense potential for water transport.

Two types of cells make up the xylem: tracheid and vessel elements. Both cell types are dead when they are used in the xylem. They carry dead cells because they have cellular and tissue levels, and many cells do not contain protoplasm, especially in transport issues.

The dead cells are called heartwood which is considered the pillar upon which a tree is supported, and it increases in diameter as a layer of sapwood grows and dies. They are converted into the layer of living sapwood. The other plant cell stays until the plant rejects them.

I hope everyone got a clear view of why plant tissues have dead cells. Two types of cells constitute the xylem: tracheid and vessel components. These cell types are dead when they form the xylem (responsible for the transport of water and minerals).

They are made up of dead cells since they have a cellular association and tissue-level organization.  The dead components of the xylem are devoid of cytoplasm. The dead components from a solid mass known as the heartwood provide mechanical support to the tree and keep it upright.

What needs do humans have that plants do not have?

Humans need a variety of biotic and abiotic components to carry out their life processes.

Humans need the following things to survive:

  • Food from other organisms (as humans are heterotrophs)
  • Oxygen to carry out respiration
  • A system for the removal of toxic components of their body
  • A partner (of the opposite gender) to continue their lineage

Plants need Carbon Dioxide to make oxygen. Almost all plants need these five things to survive: 

  • Light
  • Air
  • Water
  • Nutrients 
  • Space to grow

What if humans had plant cells?

If humans had plant cells, they would have adapted the autotrophic mode of nutrition.

If humans had plant cells, they would be able to synthesize their food and hence they would have adapted the autotrophic mode of nutrition.

Plant cells contain a particular type of plastid that is green in color (hence known as chloroplast) and perform photosynthesis with the help of chloroplast. Plants carry out autotrophic nutrition since they operate photosynthesis to make their food.

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