What Is the Difference Between Anaphase in Plant Cells & Animal Cells?

Unlike animal cells, plant cells have a cell wall made of cellulose that surrounds the cell and its membrane.

Plant and animal cells are very similar with respect to cell contents, cell organization and life cycle. They are both eukaryotic cells because their nucleus contains DNA and is surrounded by a membrane. A plant cell has a cell wall made of cellulose that encapsulates the cell membrane. Animal cells don't have cell walls, and this is where the two cell types have different methods of separating into new cells during cell division.

Cell Life Cycle

The life of a cell, either plant or animal, consists of different phases. A eukaryotic life cycle mainly consists of interphase, where the cell grows and replicates DNA prior to dividing into two new daughter cells. Mitosis occurs when the newly duplicated chromosomes are separated. This is followed by cytokinesis, where the cell contents and cytoplasm are separated into two distinct new cells. Though virtually identical in both plant and animal cells, a few differences appear in the last part of mitosis and cytokinesis.

Cell Division

Anaphase occurs when the genetic material is split during cell division.

Mitosis in a cell consists of four phases: prophase, metaphase, anaphase and telophase. These phases organize and move cellular contents and the duplicated DNA wind as chromosomes in an orderly fashion so that they can be equally distributed into two new cells. In metaphase, the chromosomes line up at the cell’s equator; these sister chromatids are attached by tiny fibers called microtubules. Once the cell contracts these fibers, the sister chromatids pull apart and separate from each other, which begins anaphase.

Contractile Ring

The sister chromatids separate and move to opposite sides of the cell where they each become a chromosome. It is now at the end of anaphase and the beginning of telophase that plant cells and animal cells differ. The formation of protein filaments into a contractile ring in animal cells appears squeezed, making a cleavage furrow. The animal cell becomes shaped like an hourglass and eventually the cell membranes on each side face each other and fuse into separate cells.

Cell Plate

In plant cells, their cell wall prevents the formation of a contractile ring. Pinching the plasma membrane into two new cells isn't possible, so a plant cell simply grows a new cell wall and membrane that runs down its middle. Membrane lined vesicles gather near the metaphase plate and fuse together, making a cell plate. This plate will eventually attach to each side of the parent cell and result into two identical adjacent daughter cells.

References

• Biology: A Guide to the Natural World; David Krogh