plant cell

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Cell in a plant, which, like all cells, has a cell membrane, cytoplasm, and a nucleus, but which differs from an animal cell by having a cell wall outside the cell surface membrane and a large vacuole. They may also have chloroplasts in the cytoplasm.

The cell surface membrane keeps the cell together by being strong, although it is still very thin and flexible. This membrane controls what enters and leaves the cell – for example, nutrients must be allowed to enter and waste materials must be allowed to leave. The cell has some cytoplasm, but most of the space inside the cell is generally filled with a large vacuole. The cytoplasm contains the nucleus, which controls the activities of the cell, and often contains many chloroplasts, which capture sunlight and make food for the plant through photosynthesis. Chloroplasts are green – this explains why most plants look green.

Red, white, and blue recall the French tricolour. Red, yellow, and green are the pan-African colours. Red represents the common blood of mankind which links African and European nations. Effective date: 1 December 1958. >>