MadSci Network: Cell Biology
Query:

Re: What are some differebces between plants and animals?

Date: Tue Mar 6 15:20:22 2001
Posted By: Dr. Paramasivam Kumarasamy, Faculty, Zoology, The American College
Area of science: Cell Biology
ID: 982817093.Cb
Message:

    Eventhough plants and animals are living things, there are some
characteristics unique to plants!

1. Plants are mostly sessile i.e  permanently attached to a substrate; not
free to move about (except single celled Chlamydomonas, Euglena etc).
2. Plants do not have nervous system/nerve cells and specialized sensory
organ (that transduce light, pressure, sound, temperature information) found
in animals. The 'touch-me-not' plant (Mimosa pudica) respond to touch
stimulus by some specialized cells located in the pulvinus.
3. Plants are capable of fixing the light energy as chemical (bond) energy
hence they are termed as autotrophs (meaning 'make their own food ') but all
animals depend on plants (either directly or indirectly)  for energy.

These are some of the most general differences that one could observe
between plants and animals. For a detailed information about the cell
structure, tissue types etc refer to any general biology books.

Biological Science
by N.P.O. Green, G.W. Stout and D.J. Taylor
Cambridge Univ. Press, ISBN 0 521 49855 4
Green



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