Question

In animal cells, the actin cytoskeleton forms a cleavage furrow to physically separate the cellular contents during cytokinesis. Explain why this approach won't work in plant cells, and describe how they do it instead.

Answer 1

During cytokinesis of animal cells cleavage furrows are formed. But this approach of cytokinesis doesn't work for the plant cells due to certain reasons. The first and foremost reason is the presence of rigid cell wall in plant cells' outer layer which is not favourable for forming furrows. Besides, the animal cells have centrioles which help in maintaining the organisation of mitotic spindle and completion of cytokinesis. But plant cell lacks centrioles. So, during cytokinesis in plant cells the secretions of golgi vesicles form a septum or cell plate in the equatorial plane of the cell wall with the help of microtubules and phragmoplast. This results in the completion of cytokinesis and separation of two daughter cells.

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