Final answer:
Plant cells uniquely have a cell wall, a large central vacuole, and plastids such as chloroplasts, while both plant and animal cells share basic cellular structures like cytoplasm and the nucleus. The unique features of plant cells support the theory of a common ancestry for both plant and animal life.
Step-by-step explanation:
Plant and animal cells share many common structures, including cytoplasm, the nucleus, and various organelles such as mitochondria, ribosomes, and the endoplasmic reticulum. However, there are also some distinct differences. Plant cells have a number of structures that animal cells do not, including a cell wall, a large central vacuole, and plastids such as chloroplasts. The cell wall provides strength and protection, giving shape to plant cells, while the large central vacuole helps in maintaining the cell's shape by maintaining pressure against the cell wall. Furthermore, chloroplasts in plant cells allow them to photosynthesize, converting light energy into chemical energy stored in glucose.
Conversely, while animal cells may have unique structures like centrioles and lysosomes, these are not typically found in mature plant cells. Unlike plant cells, animal cells do not have a cell wall or chloroplasts, as they do not perform photosynthesis. It is the presence of these additional components in plant cells that support the claim that both animals and plants have common ancestors, given the fundamental similarities in their cellular organization.