Question

1. how does cytokinesis differ for plant cells vs. animal cells?

Explanation:

Cytokinesis, the division of the cytoplasm after nuclear division, differs between plant and animal cells due to the presence of a rigid cell wall in plant cells:

1. Animal cells form a cleavage furrow, a contractile ring of actin and myosin filaments that pinches the cell membrane inward until the cell splits into two daughter cells.
2. Plant cells cannot form a cleavage furrow because of their cell wall. Instead, a cell plate forms along the center of the cell, made from vesicles carrying cell wall materials. This cell plate grows outward until it fuses with the existing cell wall, creating two separate daughter cells with their own cell walls and membranes.

Answer:

• Animal cells: Cytokinesis occurs via a cleavage furrow, a contractile ring of proteins that pinches the cell membrane inward to split the cell into two daughter cells.
• Plant cells: Cytokinesis occurs via a cell plate, a structure built from vesicles carrying cell wall components that forms in the cell's center, then expands to fuse with the existing cell wall, creating two separate daughter cells with new cell walls and membranes.