How does cytokinesis differ in animal and plant cells?

Cytokinesis is the process that follows mitosis and results in the physical separation of the cytoplasm of a parental cell into two daughter cells. In animal cells, cytokinesis is accomplished through a mechanism known as cleavage furrow formation. During this process, the cell membrane is pinched inward around the center of the cell, which is guided by a contractile ring made of actin and myosin filaments. This method effectively divides the cytoplasm and forms two separate cells.

In contrast, plant cells have a rigid cell wall that prevents them from undergoing cytokinesis in the same manner. Instead, during cytokinesis in plant cells, a structure called the cell plate forms at the center of the cell. This cell plate develops from vesicles that contain cell wall materials, which fuse together and expand outwards until they reach the existing cell walls. Eventually, this leads to the formation of a new cell wall that divides the two daughter cells.

The differentiation in cytokinesis between these two types of cells is primarily due to the presence of the cell wall in plants, which necessitates a unique approach (the formation of the cell plate) compared to the mechanism used by animal cells (the cleavage furrow). Understanding this distinction is crucial for grasping how