The key difference between cell plate and metaphase plate is that the cell plate is a physical interphase present only in plants and in some algal cells, while the metaphase plate is an imaginary interphase present in both plant and animal cells.
Cell division is common to all living cells. It has two stages: mitosis cell division and meiosis cell division. Most commonly, cell division refers to mitosis division, but when it comes to cell division of eggs and sperms, it is meiosis division. During cell division, different cellular structures form to assist in the completion of the process. Cell plate and metaphase plate are two such cellular structures that are essential for cell division.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Cell Plate
3. What is Metaphase Plate
4. Similarities – Cell Plate and Metaphase Plate
5. Cell Plate vs Metaphase Plate in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Cell Plate vs Metaphase Plate
What is a Cell Plate?
A cell plate is a flat membrane-bound structure that develops between two chromosome groups in a dividing plant cell. Cell plate is a structure found inside the dividing cells of terrestrial plants and algae. It usually develops in the midplane of the cell, and two daughter cells separate during cell division. Cell plate formation gives rise to cytokinesis. This process leads to delivery of Golgi and endosomal vesicles carrying cell wall and cell membrane components for cell division. The cell plate grows outward from the center to the parental plasma membrane until it fuses to complete cell division.
Figure 01: Cell Plate
The growth and formation of the cell plate depend on the phragmoplast. Phragmoplast is essential to target Golgi vesicles for the cell plate. As the cell plate matures in the central part of the cell, it extends until it completely fuses with the sides of the parent cell wall. This phenomenon occurs due to the fusion of more vesicles at the midzone. Finally, the newly produced cell wall separates the two new daughter cells. In the cell plate, cellulose synthesis takes place and transforms the cell plate into a primary cell wall at the end of cytokinesis.
What is Metaphase Plate?
The metaphase plate is a region or plane that is present approximately equidistant from the two poles of a dividing cell. The equatorial plane is another term for metaphase plate. This is present in the metaphase stage of mitosis. Hence, the formation of the metaphase plate is a direct indication that the cell is currently in the stage of metaphase in cell division. Metaphase is a mitotic stage that follows prophase during cell division.
Figure 02: Metaphase Plate
During this phase, condensed chromosomes get oriented at the metaphase plate. At the same time, microtubules will attach to kinetochores. During the later stages of mitosis, the chromosomes will separate and move towards the opposite poles, completing the formation of two identical daughter cells. Not only in mitosis, but metaphase is also present in meiosis too. Meiosis comprises of meiosis I and meiosis II. Hence, the metaphase plate is present twice during meiosis. In animal cells, the metaphase plate is present as a ring of actin filaments.
What are the Similarities Between Cell Plate and Metaphase Plate?
- Cell plate and metaphase plate are cell-specific structures.
- Both structures are present during cell division.
- The function of both structures is to facilitate cell division by different functions.
- Both structures are essential for the completion of cell division.
What is the Difference Between Cell Plate and Metaphase Plate?
The cell plate is a physical interphase present only in plants and in some algal cells, while the metaphase plate is an imaginary interphase present in both plant and animal cells. Thus, this is the key difference between cell plate and metaphase plate. The cell plate is a flat membrane-bound structure that develops between two chromosome groups in a dividing plant cell, while the metaphase plate is a region or plane that is present approximately equidistant from the two poles of a dividing cell.
The below infographic presents the differences between cell plate and metaphase plate in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.
Summary – Cell Plate vs Metaphase Plate
The cell plate is a flat membrane-bound structure that develops between two chromosome groups in a dividing plant cell. The metaphase plate is a region or plane that is present approximately equidistant from the two poles of a dividing cell. The cell plate is a physical interphase present only in plants and in some algal cells, while the metaphase plate is an imaginary interphase present in both plant and animal cells. The function of the cell plate is to act as a precursor to the new cell wall, and the function of the metaphase plate is to allow the chromosomes to be lined up before they are pulled apart. The function of both structures is to facilitate cell division by different functions, and they are essential for the completion of cell division. So, this summarizes the difference between cell plate and metaphase plate.
Reference:
1. “Cell Plate.” Biology Articles, Tutorials; Dictionary Online, 28 July 2021.
2. “Metaphase Plate.” Biology Articles, Tutorials; Dictionary Online, 3 Mar. 2021.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Figure 10 02 04” By CNX OpenStax – (CC BY 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Mitosis Stages” By Ali Zifan – Own work; Used information from: Campbell Biology (10th Edition) by: Jane B. Reece & Steven A. Wasserman and Nature.com. (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
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