• Cells, like the ones in this hair follicle, are the building blocks of life.Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
  
  Both plants and animals are comprised of many different parts and elements that differentiate one from the other, but plants and animals also have some common parts that perform similar functions. The basic building blocks of life, the drive to survive and the parts that make that possible are found in almost every life form.
  
  

Cells

• Both plants and animals consist of the building blocks of all life: cells. Both plant and animal cells feature a nucleus, ribosomes, lysosomes, golgi, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum and a plasma cell membrane, and the cell performs the same basic functions, including carrying genetic information. In addition to the features plant and animal cells have in common, plants cells have additional elements that distinguish them as plant cells, such as chloroplasts and a cell wall. Chloroplasts let plants to get energy from sunlight, and the rigid cell wall provides the plant with its structure.
  
  

Reproductive Parts

• Although animal and plant reproductive systems are very different, both animals and plants do typically have parts with which to reproduce. Plants usually reproduce through a pollination process in which the pollen from the male anther of one flower is carried to the female stigma and egg cells of another. In animals, the process is similar. The male provides sperm, which is delivered to the female's eggs, creating a new life. For some types of plants and animals, reproduction can also occur asexually, a process by which genetic information is received from only one parent for reproduction.
  
  

Epidermis

• As protection, both plants and animals feature an outer layer called the epidermis. Plants typically only have a single layer that breaks down a little at a time as the plant grows, according to the University of Montana, but in some cases, plants can have multiple epidermal layers, which serve to protect them from harmful elements, like bacteria. The animal epidermis, the skin, works in much the same way, protecting the body and organs from harm. Animal skin also helps regulate body temperature and gives animals the sensation of touch.