Interactive biology diagrams
Animal and Plant Cell Diagram: labeled, interactive and printable
This cell diagram shows the parts of an animal cell and a plant cell with clear labels. Tap or click any organelle to see what it does and where it is found, switch the labels to numbers or hide them to test yourself, or take a ten-question quiz. You can print the labeled diagram or download it as an SVG for slides and notes. The drawings are original simplified diagrams made for this site, not microscope photos, so sizes and shapes are not to scale.
Need a worksheet? Make a labeling worksheet with an answer key.
Tap or click any part of the cell, or pick one from the list, to see what it does.
Everything runs in your browser; nothing you choose is uploaded or saved. Print opens a clean page without the controls or advertisements. Diagrams are simplified teaching drawings, so check your class notes for the exact parts your teacher wants you to know.
How to use the animal cell diagram
Pick animal cell or plant cell, then tap any part of the drawing or a name in the list. The panel under the diagram explains what the part does, gives an everyday comparison, and says whether it is found in animal cells, plant cells or both. Tap the same part again to clear it.
To study, switch Labels to Numbers only and try to name each number before checking, or choose No labels. Quiz mode highlights one part at a time in red and asks you to pick its name from four choices, then shows your score out of ten.
- Print diagram gives a full-page labeled diagram with a short job for every part underneath.
- Download SVG saves the drawing as a scalable image you can put in slides or notes.
- The worksheet page makes a blank labeling sheet, a function table and an answer key.
Parts of an animal cell
The animal cell diagram labels fifteen parts: the cell membrane, cytoplasm, nucleus, nucleolus, nuclear envelope, rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum, ribosomes, Golgi apparatus, mitochondria, lysosomes, a peroxisome, the centrosome with its centrioles, vesicles and a small vacuole. Animal cells have no cell wall and no chloroplasts, so their outline is flexible and often rounded.
Parts of a plant cell
The plant cell diagram adds the parts animal cells lack: a rigid cell wall, chloroplasts, a large central vacuole and plasmodesmata, the small channels that link neighboring cells through their walls. Plant cells still have mitochondria, ribosomes, a nucleus and the rest of the shared organelles. The plant cell diagram page explains each plant part in more detail.
Animal cell vs plant cell at a glance
Both are eukaryotic cells, which means their DNA is inside a nucleus and they have membrane-bound organelles. The differences you will be asked about most often are these.
- Cell wall: plant cells have one outside the membrane; animal cells do not.
- Chloroplasts: found in plant cells that carry out photosynthesis, such as leaf cells; never in animal cells.
- Vacuoles: a plant cell usually has one large central vacuole; an animal cell has a few small ones, if any.
- Centrosome with centrioles and lysosomes: found in animal cells; most plant cells do not have them.
- Shape: plant cells tend to look boxy because of the wall; animal cells are more rounded or irregular.
Why the diagram looks the way it does
Textbook cell diagrams pack every organelle into one cell so you can see them together. A real cell has many more ribosomes, mitochondria and vesicles than any diagram shows, and the parts are in constant motion. This diagram draws one or two examples of each part and keeps the labels away from the drawing so the lines are easy to follow when printed in black and white.
Middle school science standards ask students to use a model to explain how the parts of a cell work together, with a focus on the nucleus, chloroplasts, mitochondria, cell membrane and cell wall. Start with those five, then learn the rest.
More cell tools
Plant cells, worksheets, 3D and projects.
Plant Cell Diagram: labeled parts and what they do
An interactive labeled plant cell diagram: tap the cell wall, chloroplasts, central vacuole or any organelle to see its job, quiz yourself, and print it.
Animal Cell Labeled: printable labeling worksheet and answer key
Print a labeled animal cell diagram, a blank labeling worksheet with a word bank, and an answer key. Plant cell and parts-and-jobs versions included.
Animal Cell 3D Model: rotate a cutaway animal or plant cell
Rotate an interactive 3D model of an animal cell or a plant cell. Cut away the membrane to look inside, tap any organelle to see its job, and save a picture.
Animal Cell Project Ideas: materials list and printable key card
Plan an animal or plant cell project: pick an edible cake, gelatin, clay, foam ball or poster model and get a materials list, steps and a printable key card.
The studio notebook
A useful place to begin.
Clear steps, considered details, and ideas you can put to use.
Cell organelles and their functions: a plain-English list
Every organelle on the cell diagram, what it does, and an everyday comparison that makes it easier to remember.
Animal cell vs plant cell: the differences that matter
How animal and plant cells differ, what they share, and the common mistakes students make when comparing them on a test or a Venn diagram.
How to label a cell diagram and remember every part
A step-by-step method for labeling animal and plant cell diagrams on a test, with clues for telling similar-looking organelles apart.
Cell analogy ideas: the cell as a city, a school or a factory
Ready-to-adapt analogies that compare each organelle to a part of a city, school or factory, with tips for writing an analogy that earns full credit.
Prokaryotic vs eukaryotic cells: where animal and plant cells fit
The difference between prokaryotic cells such as bacteria and eukaryotic cells such as animal and plant cells, explained with the parts each one has.
Onion and cheek cells under a microscope: what you can see
What a classroom light microscope shows in onion skin and cheek cells, why you cannot see most organelles, and how this compares with a cell diagram.
A few helpful answers
Before you begin.
What are the parts of an animal cell?
The animal cell diagram labels fifteen parts: cell membrane, cytoplasm, nucleus, nucleolus, nuclear envelope, rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum, ribosomes, Golgi apparatus, mitochondria, lysosomes, peroxisome, centrosome with centrioles, vesicles and a small vacuole.
What are the main differences between an animal cell and a plant cell diagram?
A plant cell diagram has a cell wall, chloroplasts, a large central vacuole and plasmodesmata. An animal cell diagram has centrioles and lysosomes, which most plant cells lack, and a rounder shape.
Can I print the cell diagram?
Yes. Print diagram opens a printable page with the labeled diagram and a short job for every part. Choose “Save as PDF” to keep a copy. The worksheet page makes blank and answer-key versions.
Can I use the diagram in my slides or homework?
Yes. Download the SVG for slides, notes, homework and classroom use. The drawings are original diagrams made for this site.
How does the quiz work?
Quiz mode highlights one part in red and gives four names to choose from. After ten questions it shows your score and turns the labels back on so you can review.
Is the diagram drawn to scale?
No. It is a simplified teaching drawing. A real cell has far more ribosomes, mitochondria and vesicles, and organelle sizes differ much more than the drawing shows.
Do I need an account?
No. Everything works in your browser without signing in, and nothing you choose is uploaded or saved.