The contractile filaments found in plant cells are structures composed of carbohydrates; the cleavage furrow in animal cells is composed of contractile proteins.

Plant cells deposit vesicles containing cell wall building blocks on the metaphase plate; animal cells form a cleavage furrow.

The structural proteins of plant cells separate the two cells; in animal cells, a cell membrane separates the two daughter cells.

Plant cells divide after metaphase but before anaphase; animal cells divide after anaphase.