Plant cell diagram: the parts of a plant cell and what they do
A plant cell diagram shows eight parts. Five are also in animal cells: the nucleus, cytoplasm, cell membrane, mitochondria and ribosomes. Three are extra. The cell wall, made of cellulose, strengthens the cell. Chloroplasts contain chlorophyll and are where photosynthesis happens. The permanent vacuole is a space filled with cell sap. Tap any part of the diagram to see its name and its job.
Each labelled part, from the outside in
- Cell wall: the outer layer. It is made of cellulose and makes the cell stronger.
- Cell membrane: a layer just inside the wall. It lets some substances through and keeps others out.
- Cytoplasm: the part inside the membrane where the other parts sit. Some stages of respiration take place here.
- Chloroplasts: small bodies that contain chlorophyll. Photosynthesis takes place inside them.
- Permanent vacuole: a space filled with a liquid called cell sap.
- Nucleus: holds the genetic material, the instructions for how the cell develops and works.
- Mitochondria: tiny parts that contain the enzymes for respiration.
- Ribosomes: the parts where proteins are made.
Use the labels on and off switch to test yourself. Hide the labels, point at a part and say its name before you check.
The three parts that make a cell a plant cell
The cell wall, chloroplasts and permanent vacuole are the parts to look for on a diagram. AQA says plant cells often have chloroplasts and a permanent vacuole, and that plant and algal cells also have a cellulose cell wall.
Chloroplasts link this cell to the photosynthesis equation. Carbon dioxide and water go in, and glucose and oxygen come out. The plant uses some of the glucose to make more cellulose for its cell walls.
A plant cell has mitochondria as well. It respires all the time, just like an animal cell, so do not leave them off your drawing.
Plant cells under a microscope
AQA sets a required practical where you use a light microscope to look at plant and animal cells. You draw and label what you see and add a magnification scale. For the plant side, OCR Gateway suggests slides of onion skin cells, which it calls onion epidermis. A stain helps you see colourless parts.
An electron microscope magnifies far more and shows much finer detail. AQA says this has let biologists see and understand many more parts of the cell. Our page on the magnification formula shows how to work out the real size of a cell from a drawing.
What the boards list
AQA (8461 and 8464) lists the eight parts on this diagram. Edexcel (1BI0 and 1SC0) lists seven of them for plant cells. It leaves out the cytoplasm and says vacuole where AQA says permanent vacuole. OCR Gateway (J247) names the nucleus, mitochondria, chloroplasts, cell membranes and ribosomes, each with its job.
At KS3 you learn what the cell wall, cell membrane, cytoplasm, nucleus, vacuole, mitochondria and chloroplasts do. To see how this cell differs from yours, go to animal and plant cells.
Common mistakes
- Mixing up the cell wall and the cell membrane. The wall is the outer layer that gives strength. The membrane sits just inside it and controls what gets in and out.
- Leaving the mitochondria out. Plant cells respire, so they need mitochondria.
- Thinking the vacuole is empty. It is filled with cell sap.
- Saying only plant cells have a cell wall. Bacterial cells have one too. AQA names cellulose only for the walls of plant and algal cells.
In Cell Builder you place each part in a plant cell, then match it to its job. The biology hub has the other cell diagrams.
Questions people ask
Do all plant cells have chloroplasts?
No. AQA says plant cells often have chloroplasts, which means some do not. The diagram includes them so you can learn where they sit.
What is the cell wall made of?
In plants and algae it is made of cellulose. The plant makes cellulose from some of the glucose it produces in photosynthesis.
Can plant cells turn into other kinds of cell?
Many can. AQA says many types of plant cell keep the ability to differentiate, which means to change into a different type of cell, all through the life of the plant.