Final answer:
Cytokinesis in animal cells involves the pinching of the plasma membrane to form a cleavage furrow, while cytokinesis in plant cells involves the formation of a cell plate.
Step-by-step explanation:
Cytokinesis, the final stage of cell division, occurs differently in animal and plant cells. In animal cells, the plasma membrane pinches inward along the cell's equator forming a cleavage furrow, which eventually divides the cytoplasm into two daughter cells. On the other hand, in plant cells, a cell plate forms at the center of the parent cell. Then, a new plasma membrane and cell wall form along each side of the cell plate, resulting in the formation of two daughter cells.
The main difference between cytokinesis in animal and plant cells lies in the process of dividing the cytoplasm and forming new cells. In animal cells, cytokinesis involves the formation of a cleavage furrow, where the plasma membrane pinches inward at the cell's equator until the cell is divided into two daughter cells. In contrast, plant cells, which possess a rigid cell wall, do not form a cleavage furrow. Instead, a cell plate forms along the equator of the parent plant cell. A new plasma membrane and ultimately a new cell wall develop on each side of the cell plate to separate the daughter cells.