Final answer:
Animal cells lack chloroplasts because they are heterotrophs and do not perform photosynthesis to produce their own food. Instead, they have mitochondria for energy production while chloroplasts are present in autotrophic plant cells and certain protists that can synthesize their own food through photosynthesis.
Step-by-step explanation:
Why Don't Animal Cells Have Both Mitochondria and Chloroplasts?
Animal cells do not have both mitochondria and chloroplasts because these organelles serve different functions in cellular metabolism. Mitochondria are present in most eukaryotic cells, including animal cells, and they are responsible for generating ATP through aerobic respiration. Chloroplasts, on the other hand, are specialized for photosynthesis, a process that converts light energy into chemical energy stored in glucose. This process is a defining feature of plant cells, algae, and certain protists, which can create their own food and are known as autotrophs. Animals are heterotrophs and lack chloroplasts as they obtain energy by consuming other organisms, and thus they do not need the organelles for photosynthesis.
Furthermore, the presence of chloroplasts is associated with other plant cell structures such as the cell wall and a large central vacuole, both of which are absent in animal cells. Plastids, such as chloroplasts, are found in plant cells along with other specialized plastids used for storage and pigmentation, further distinguishing plant cells from animal cells.