# Animal cell diagram with labels > Free labelled animal cell diagram with 15 parts, an unlabelled version and a printable worksheet. Learn what each organelle does. SVG, PNG and PDF. URL: https://www.labcanvas.com/diagrams/animal-cell-diagram An animal cell is a eukaryotic cell with a flexible plasma membrane and no cell wall, chloroplasts or large central vacuole. Inside are a nucleus, rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum, a Golgi apparatus, mitochondria, ribosomes, peroxisomes and a cytoskeleton, plus two structures typical plant cells lack: lysosomes and a centrosome with a pair of centrioles. This free diagram labels 15 parts and comes unlabelled and as a numbered worksheet with an answer key. Last updated 26 October 2026 Free download Labelled and unlabelled Printable worksheet CC BY 4.0 Labelled Unlabelled Worksheet ![Labelled animal cell diagram: a rounded cell showing the plasma membrane, cytoplasm, nucleus with nucleolus and a nuclear envelope with pores, rough ER, smooth ER, Golgi apparatus, vesicles, mitochondria, lysosome, peroxisome, centrosome with two centrioles, cytoskeleton fibres and ribosomes.](https://www.labcanvas.com/diagram-files/animal-cell-diagram/animal-cell-diagram-labeled.svg) ![Animal cell diagram without labels](https://www.labcanvas.com/diagram-files/animal-cell-diagram/animal-cell-diagram-unlabeled.svg) ![Animal cell labelling worksheet with numbered blanks](https://www.labcanvas.com/diagram-files/animal-cell-diagram/animal-cell-diagram-worksheet.svg) Animal cell diagram by LabCanvas (labcanvas.com), CC BY 4.0 ## Download the animal cell diagram [**Labelled (SVG)** Vector, sharp at any size](https://www.labcanvas.com/diagram-files/animal-cell-diagram/animal-cell-diagram-labeled.svg)[**Labelled (PNG)** 3200 px, transparent background](https://www.labcanvas.com/diagram-files/animal-cell-diagram/animal-cell-diagram-labeled.png)[**Unlabelled (SVG)** Vector, sharp at any size](https://www.labcanvas.com/diagram-files/animal-cell-diagram/animal-cell-diagram-unlabeled.svg)[**Unlabelled (PNG)** 3200 px, transparent background](https://www.labcanvas.com/diagram-files/animal-cell-diagram/animal-cell-diagram-unlabeled.png)[**Worksheet (PNG)** 3200 px, transparent background](https://www.labcanvas.com/diagram-files/animal-cell-diagram/animal-cell-diagram-worksheet.png)[**Worksheet + answer key (PDF)** A4, ready to print](https://www.labcanvas.com/diagram-files/animal-cell-diagram/animal-cell-diagram-worksheet.pdf)[**Edit it in LabCanvas** Change colours, labels and layout](https://www.labcanvas.com/editor.html?diagram=animal-cell-diagram) Free to use in homework, teaching, slides, posters and publications under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Please credit: `Animal cell diagram by LabCanvas (labcanvas.com), CC BY 4.0` ## Parts of the animal cell and what they do | # | Part | What it is or does | | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | Peroxisome | Small single-membrane organelle whose enzymes break down fatty acids and amino acids, detoxify some poisons and destroy hydrogen peroxide. | | 2 | Mitochondrion | Double-membrane organelle that carries out cellular respiration and makes most of the cell's ATP. | | 3 | Nucleolus | Dense region inside the nucleus where ribosomal RNA is made and ribosome subunits are assembled. | | 4 | Nuclear envelope | Double membrane around the nucleus; nuclear pores in it control which molecules, such as RNA, pass in and out. | | 5 | Nucleus | Holds the cell's DNA (as chromatin) and directs the making of ribosomes and proteins. | | 6 | Rough ER | Endoplasmic reticulum studded with ribosomes; makes and modifies proteins and makes phospholipids for membranes. | | 7 | Smooth ER | Tubular ER without ribosomes; makes lipids, carbohydrates and steroid hormones, detoxifies some chemicals and stores calcium ions. | | 8 | Plasma membrane | Phospholipid bilayer with proteins that forms the cell's outer boundary and controls what enters and leaves. | | 9 | Lysosome | Membrane sac of digestive enzymes that breaks down macromolecules, worn-out organelles and engulfed material. | | 10 | Centrosome (centrioles) | Microtubule-organizing centre near the nucleus, made of two centrioles at right angles; it duplicates before cell division. | | 11 | Cytoskeleton | Network of protein fibres (microfilaments, intermediate filaments and microtubules) that shapes the cell, holds organelles and moves things. | | 12 | Golgi apparatus | Stack of flattened sacs that modifies, sorts and packages proteins and lipids into vesicles for delivery. | | 13 | Vesicle | Small membrane sac that carries materials between organelles or to the plasma membrane, where it can release them outside the cell. | | 14 | Ribosomes | Tiny particles of RNA and protein that build proteins; free in the cytoplasm or attached to the rough ER. | | 15 | Cytoplasm | Everything between the plasma membrane and the nuclear envelope: the fluid cytosol plus the organelles in it. | ## How to label a animal cell diagram **Start at the edge** Label the outer boundary as the plasma membrane and the fluid-filled space inside it, around the organelles, as the cytoplasm. **Find the nucleus** Label the large round body as the nucleus, the dark spot inside it as the nucleolus and the double outline with pores as the nuclear envelope. **Follow the endomembrane system** The ribosome-dotted sacs curving around the nucleus are the rough ER, the smooth branching tubes are the smooth ER, and the curved stack with vesicles beside it is the Golgi apparatus. **Pick out the round organelles** Ovals with folded inner membranes (cristae) are mitochondria. Of the small round bodies, the one with dark enzyme dots is a lysosome, the one with a crystal-like core is a peroxisome and the small pale ones are vesicles. **Find the centrosome and fibres** The two short cylinders at right angles near the nucleus are the centrioles of the centrosome; the thin lines spreading through the cell are the cytoskeleton. **Finish with the ribosomes** Label a cluster of tiny dots as ribosomes, then check your answers against the key. ## Animal cell vs plant cell | Feature | Animal cell | Plant cell | | --- | --- | --- | | Cell wall | No | Yes, mainly cellulose | | Chloroplasts | No | Yes, for photosynthesis | | Vacuole | No large central vacuole | One large central vacuole | | Centrosome with centrioles | Yes | No centrioles | | Lysosomes | Yes | Not usually described; the central vacuole does much of the breakdown work | | Links between neighbouring cells | Gap junctions (and tight junctions, desmosomes) | Plasmodesmata | | Usual shape | Rounded or irregular | Fixed, often box-like | | Nucleus, ER, Golgi, ribosomes, mitochondria, peroxisomes, plasma membrane, cytoskeleton | Yes | Yes | ## Organelles only in animal cells **Lysosomes** are the cell's digestive compartments. Their enzymes work best in the acidic conditions inside the lysosome and break down proteins, polysaccharides, lipids, nucleic acids and even worn-out organelles. In plant cells, vacuoles carry out much of this breakdown. The **centrosome** is a microtubule-organizing centre near the nucleus. It contains a pair of centrioles at right angles to each other, each a cylinder of nine triplets of microtubules. The centrosome duplicates before a cell divides, and the two copies move to opposite ends of the cell as the spindle forms. ## Prokaryotic vs eukaryotic cells All cells have a plasma membrane, cytoplasm, ribosomes and DNA. Prokaryotic cells (bacteria and archaea) keep their DNA in a region called the nucleoid and have no nucleus or other membrane-bound organelles. Eukaryotic cells, including animal, plant and fungal cells, have a true nucleus surrounded by a nuclear envelope and many membrane-bound organelles, and they are usually much larger. ## The endomembrane system: from ER to the cell surface The nuclear envelope, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, lysosomes and vesicles work together as the endomembrane system, which modifies, packages and moves proteins and lipids. A protein made on the rough ER is carried in a vesicle to the Golgi apparatus, which modifies and sorts it. Vesicles leaving the Golgi then deliver it to a lysosome, to the plasma membrane, or out of the cell when the vesicle fuses with the membrane. ## Quick quiz **1. Which structure is found in animal cells but not in typical plant cells?** - Cell wall - Chloroplast - Centrosome with centrioles - Mitochondrion **Answer: c) Centrosome with centrioles.** Animal cells have a centrosome with a pair of centrioles; most plant cells have no centrioles. **2. Which organelle contains digestive enzymes?** - Lysosome - Golgi apparatus - Nucleolus - Smooth ER **Answer: a) Lysosome.** Lysosomes hold enzymes that break down macromolecules and worn-out organelles. **3. What makes rough ER look "rough"?** - Nuclear pores - Ribosomes on its surface - Cristae - Microtubules **Answer: b) Ribosomes on its surface.** Ribosomes attached to its outer surface give the rough ER its studded look. **4. Which organelle makes most of the cell's ATP?** - Peroxisome - Ribosome - Mitochondrion - Vesicle **Answer: c) Mitochondrion.** Mitochondria carry out cellular respiration, which makes most of the cell's ATP. **5. Where are ribosome subunits assembled?** - Nucleolus - Centrosome - Lysosome - Plasma membrane **Answer: a) Nucleolus.** The nucleolus makes ribosomal RNA and assembles it with proteins into ribosome subunits. ## Frequently asked questions ### What are the parts of an animal cell? A typical animal cell has a plasma membrane, cytoplasm, a nucleus with a nucleolus and nuclear envelope, rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum, a Golgi apparatus, vesicles, ribosomes, mitochondria, lysosomes, peroxisomes, a centrosome with two centrioles and a cytoskeleton. ### Do animal cells have a cell wall? No. Animal cells are bounded only by the flexible plasma membrane, which is why they are usually rounded or irregular in shape. Plant, fungal and most bacterial cells have a cell wall. ### Do animal cells have chloroplasts? No. Animal cells do not photosynthesise, so they have no chloroplasts. They get energy by breaking down food molecules in their mitochondria. ### What is the function of the centrosome in an animal cell? The centrosome is the main microtubule-organizing centre of an animal cell. It holds a pair of centrioles, duplicates before the cell divides and helps organise the microtubules that separate the chromosomes. ### What does a lysosome do? A lysosome is a membrane sac of digestive enzymes. It breaks down large molecules, worn-out organelles and material the cell has taken in, such as bacteria engulfed by white blood cells. ### What is the difference between rough and smooth ER? Rough ER has ribosomes on its surface and makes and modifies proteins. Smooth ER has no ribosomes and makes lipids, carbohydrates and steroid hormones, detoxifies some chemicals and stores calcium ions. ### Do animal cells have vacuoles? Animal cells do not have a large central vacuole like plant cells. They have smaller membrane sacs, such as vesicles and lysosomes, that store, transport and break down materials. ## Sources - [OpenStax Biology 2e, 4.3 Eukaryotic Cells (CC BY 4.0)](https://openstax.org/books/biology-2e/pages/4-3-eukaryotic-cells) - [OpenStax Biology 2e, 4.4 The Endomembrane System and Proteins (CC BY 4.0)](https://openstax.org/books/biology-2e/pages/4-4-the-endomembrane-system-and-proteins) - [OpenStax Biology 2e, 4.5 The Cytoskeleton (CC BY 4.0)](https://openstax.org/books/biology-2e/pages/4-5-the-cytoskeleton) - [OpenStax Biology 2e, 4.6 Connections between Cells and Cellular Activities (CC BY 4.0)](https://openstax.org/books/biology-2e/pages/4-6-connections-between-cells-and-cellular-activities) - [OpenStax Biology 2e, 4.2 Prokaryotic Cells (CC BY 4.0)](https://openstax.org/books/biology-2e/pages/4-2-prokaryotic-cells) Facts on this page follow these introductory textbooks (OpenStax, CC BY 4.0). The diagram is a simplified illustration; organelles are not drawn to scale. ## More free diagrams [![Labelled plant cell diagram: a box-shaped cell showing the cell wall with plasmodesmata, cell (plasma) membrane, cytoplasm, nucleus with nucleolus and nuclear envelope, rough ER, smooth ER, Golgi apparatus, ribosomes, mitochondrion, peroxisome, chloroplasts with grana, and a large central vacuole bounded by the tonoplast.](https://www.labcanvas.com/diagram-files/plant-cell-diagram/plant-cell-diagram.webp) Plant cell diagram](https://www.labcanvas.com/diagrams/plant-cell-diagram) [![Labeled diagram of a section of cell membrane (fluid mosaic model) with extracellular fluid above and cytoplasm below. Labels: extracellular fluid, carbohydrate chain, glycoprotein, glycolipid, channel protein, cholesterol, peripheral protein, integral protein, cytoskeleton filaments, cytoplasm, hydrophobic tails, phospholipid bilayer and hydrophilic head.](https://www.labcanvas.com/diagram-files/cell-membrane-diagram/cell-membrane-diagram.webp) Cell membrane diagram](https://www.labcanvas.com/diagrams/cell-membrane-diagram) [![Labeled diagram of a mitochondrion in longitudinal section. Labels: outer membrane, intermembrane space, inner membrane, cristae, ATP synthase, matrix, mitochondrial DNA and ribosomes.](https://www.labcanvas.com/diagram-files/mitochondria-diagram/mitochondria-diagram.webp) Mitochondria diagram](https://www.labcanvas.com/diagrams/mitochondria-diagram) [![Labeled diagram of mitosis in an animal cell with two homologous chromosome pairs (maternal red, paternal blue). Seven cells show interphase (chromatin, nucleolus), prophase (chromosome, centrosome), prometaphase (spindle fibres, nuclear envelope fragments), metaphase (metaphase plate), anaphase, telophase (nuclear envelope, cleavage furrow) and cytokinesis (daughter cells), with an enlarged chromosome showing sister chromatids and the centromere.](https://www.labcanvas.com/diagram-files/mitosis-diagram/mitosis-diagram.webp) Mitosis diagram](https://www.labcanvas.com/diagrams/mitosis-diagram) [![Labeled diagram of meiosis with two homologous chromosome pairs (maternal red, paternal blue). Meiosis I: prophase I (tetrad, crossing over, nuclear envelope), metaphase I (homologous chromosomes on the metaphase plate), anaphase I (spindle fibres, centrosome) and telophase I (cleavage furrow). Meiosis II: prophase II, metaphase II (sister chromatids), anaphase II and telophase II, ending in four haploid daughter cells with swapped chromosome segments.](https://www.labcanvas.com/diagram-files/meiosis-diagram/meiosis-diagram.webp) Meiosis diagram](https://www.labcanvas.com/diagrams/meiosis-diagram) [![Labelled cell cycle diagram drawn as a wheel: interphase with G1 phase, S phase and G2 phase takes most of the circle, and the M phase with mitosis and cytokinesis a smaller arc, with arrows showing the direction. G0 phase branches off G1. Stop signs mark the G1/S checkpoint, G2/M checkpoint and spindle checkpoint. Small sketches show a cell growing, DNA replicating, a cell preparing to divide, chromosomes lined up on the spindle and the cytoplasm dividing.](https://www.labcanvas.com/diagram-files/cell-cycle-diagram/cell-cycle-diagram.webp) Cell cycle diagram](https://www.labcanvas.com/diagrams/cell-cycle-diagram) ## Make your own science diagrams LabCanvas is a browser workspace for scientific figures, slides and posters, with adjustable cells, organelles and molecules. [Edit this diagram](https://www.labcanvas.com/editor.html?diagram=animal-cell-diagram)