What Color Are Animal Cells?
Animal cells range in size from one to 100 microns and play an essential role in all living systems, maintaining organs and tissues. Due to their small size, animal cells cannot be seen with the naked eye; thus they must be studied under microscopes for detailed study.
Eukaryotic Cells
Eukaryotic cells differ from bacteria or prokaryotes in that they possess a membrane-bound nucleus and several organelles, as well as cytoplasm, an internal fluid composed of various dissolved compounds.
They are distinguishable by a membrane-bound nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles such as mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum.
These structures are essential for animal cell function and distinguish animal cells from bacteria or prokaryotes which lack internal membrane structures.
Plants and Animals Colorify Their Ownself
Animal and plant cells are primarily distinguished by the pigments deposited on their surfaces. Chlorophyll (green), carotenoids (yellow to orange), anthocyanins (red, blue, violet) are among the common pigments in plants produced through photosynthesis – the process of breaking down carbohydrates to release oxygen into the atmosphere.
Animals that contain melanosomes package these pigments together in vesicles known as melanosomes. This cellular structure and ability to absorb and transmit light energy play an integral role.
Chromatophores are pigment producing organs found on cold-blooded vertebrates such as mammals and birds, where they produce green and blue hues. Chromatophores also aid in physiological color change and camouflage by attaching themselves to neural crests in these animals for protection from predators.
Chameleons use chromatophores in complex, undulating displays to produce an array of rapidly shifting colors as part of their camouflage and social behavior. On the other hand, cephalopods can adjust their coloration according to their environment.
These color changes occur due to overlapping structural colors that reflect filtered light. Chromothores also operate in an order similar to neuronal activation patterns.
In addition to chromophores, some of the more intricate colors are produced through a combination of photoreceptors and neuronal activity. In many cephalopods, nerves activating chromatophores are organized in an orderly pattern which produces varied hues.
Some examples of chromatophores in lower vertebrates include collagen arrays found in the dermis of birds and mammals that coherently scatter light to generate their blue skin coloration. This finding has been confirmed by various experiments, though its exact cause remains unknown.
The color of your skin is determined by the amount of melanin present. Melanin, a protein, binds to receptors on melanocytes in order to create dark brown, black or grey-brown pigmentation on the surface of your skin.
