Difference between Cytokinesis in Animal Cell and Plant Cell

Summary

This video script delves into the distinct processes of cytokinesis in plant and animal cells. It explains that in animal cells, cytokinesis involves the formation of a contractile ring from actin and myosin filaments, leading to the cleavage furrow and eventual abscission facilitated by the midbody. In contrast, plant cells, possessing a cell wall, undergo cytokinesis through the formation of a fragmoplast, which guides the deposition of cell wall materials from Golgi apparatus vesicles, culminating in the formation of a cell plate that separates the daughter cells.

Takeaways

• 🔬 Cytokinesis is the cytoplasmic division of a cell after mitosis or meiosis, resulting in the formation of two daughter cells.
• 🐾 In animal cells, cytokinesis begins with the formation of a contractile ring composed of actin and myosin filaments, guided by central spindle microtubules.
• 💧 The contractile ring in animal cells leads to the formation of a cleavage furrow, which pinches the cell into two separate cells.
• 🌟 A midbody, a structure made of tightly bundled microtubules, forms during the final stage of cytokinesis in animal cells, facilitating abscission.
• 🧬 Protein complexes like ESCRT-3 play a crucial role in the abscission process, helping to cut the intracellular bridge between the two daughter cells.
• 🌱 Cytokinesis in plant cells is distinct due to the presence of a cell wall, requiring a different process for cell division.
• 🌿 The first step in plant cell cytokinesis is the formation of a phragmoplast, a temporary structure made of microtubules and actin filaments that guides cell wall formation.
• 📦 Golgi-derived vesicles transport cell wall materials to the center of the dividing plant cell, guided by the phragmoplast.
• 🔄 Vesicles fuse to form a cell plate in plant cells, which eventually fuses with the plasma membrane to complete the separation of the two daughter cells.
• 🛡 The cell plate forms a new cell wall and plasma membrane, separating the two daughter cells in plant cytokinesis.
• 📚 Understanding the differences in cytokinesis between plant and animal cells is crucial for grasping the fundamental processes of cell division in biology.

Q & A

What is the meaning of the term 'cytokinesis'?

Cytokinesis refers to the cytoplasmic division of a cell at the end of mitosis or meiosis, resulting in the separation into two daughter cells.

What are the two main processes that cytokinesis follows in the cell cycle?

Cytokinesis follows mitosis or meiosis in the cell cycle, and its purpose is to separate the cytoplasm and the genome equally between the two daughter cells.

How is the contractile ring in animal cells formed and what guides its positioning?

The contractile ring in animal cells is formed from actin and myosin filaments and is guided to the center of the cell by the central spindle microtubules.

What is the role of the cleavage furrow in cytokinesis of animal cells?

The cleavage furrow is formed as a result of the movement of actin and myosin filaments, which causes the cell to constrict and eventually divide into two daughter cells.

What is the midbody and what is its function during cytokinesis in animal cells?

The midbody is a transient structure in animal cells made up of tightly bundled, anti-parallel microtubules that connects the two daughter cells at the end of cytokinesis. It mediates the final step called abscission and localizes the site of obsession.

What is the role of the ESCRT-III protein complex in cytokinesis of animal cells?

The ESCRT-III (Endosomal Sorting Complex Required for Transport) protein complex is involved in the abscission process, helping to localize the position and facilitate the final separation of the two daughter cells.

How does cytokinesis differ in plant cells compared to animal cells?

Cytokinesis in plant cells is different due to the presence of a cell wall. The process involves the formation of a fragmoplast, transport of Golgi-derived vesicles with cell wall materials, and the formation of a cell plate that eventually separates the two daughter cells.

What is the fragmoplast and what is its function in plant cell cytokinesis?

The fragmoplast is a temporary structure in plant cells made up of microtubules and actin filaments that acts as a framework for the formation of the cell wall or cell plate, which separates the two daughter cells.

How are Golgi-derived vesicles involved in cytokinesis in plant cells?

Golgi-derived vesicles transport cell wall materials to the central region of the cell, guided by the fragmoplast microtubules, where they align and eventually fuse to form the cell plate.

What is the final structure that separates the two daughter cells in plant cell cytokinesis?

The final structure that separates the two daughter cells in plant cell cytokinesis is the cell plate, which is formed by the fusion of vesicles carrying cell wall materials.

What is the source of the cell wall materials in plant cell cytokinesis?

The cell wall materials in plant cell cytokinesis come from the Golgi apparatus, which packages them into vesicles that are then transported to the center of the cell by the fragmoplast.