Plant Cell vs Animal Cell

Core concept

The cell wall gives plant cells a fixed, rectangular shape and structural rigidity, allowing plants to stand upright without a skeleton, while animal cells, having only a flexible cell membrane, are typically more irregular or rounded in shape. Chloroplasts contain chlorophyll, the green pigment that captures light energy for photosynthesis — a process animal cells cannot perform, which is why animals must obtain energy by consuming other organisms rather than making their own food.