differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells

Differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells:

DNA

Prokaryotic cells:

• shorter
• found in cytoplasm
• found in a single loop and plasmids

Eukaryotic cells:

• Longer DNA
• found in the nucleus
• Found in an alpha helix shape

Structural differences

• Eukaryotes have organelles such as mitochondria and chloroplasts whereas Prokaryotes do not
• Some Prokaryotes contain flagellum and a slime capsule whereas Eukaryotes do not.
• Prokaryotes undergo binary fission in order to divide whereas Eukaryotes undergo mitosis or meiosis

Hi,

At GCSE you need to know that: Eukaryotic cells have membrane bound organelles, and have their DNA within a nucleus. Prokaryotic cells do not have membrane bound organelles and have their DNA in the cytoplasm, for example a bacterium cell.

There are many differences between these two.

Firstly Prokaryotic cells are cells that do not have any encapsulated organelles. This means it has no nucleus or mitochondria. Instead of having a nucleus, all of the genetic material are found as strands of chromosomes or loops of plasmid. An example would be bacteria.

Eukaryotic cells are cells that do have a nucleus and therefore the DNA is stored there. Examples are Animal and Plant cells.

Cellular Organization:

• Prokaryotic cells: These are simpler in structure and lack membrane-bound organelles. Their genetic material is found in a region called the nucleoid, which is not enclosed by a membrane. They also lack other membrane-bound organelles such as mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, and Golgi apparatus.
• Eukaryotic cells: These are more complex and have membrane-bound organelles including a well-defined nucleus where the genetic material (DNA) is contained within a membrane-bound nucleus. They possess various organelles such as mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, lysosomes, and chloroplasts (in plants).

Size:

• Prokaryotic cells: Generally smaller, typically ranging from 0.1 to 5.0 micrometers in diameter.
• Eukaryotic cells: Generally larger, ranging from 10 to 100 micrometers in diameter.

Genetic Material:

• Prokaryotic cells: Have a single, circular chromosome composed of DNA, found in the nucleoid region. They may also contain plasmids, small circular DNA molecules.
• Eukaryotic cells: Have multiple linear chromosomes composed of DNA, contained within the nucleus. They do not typically contain plasmids.

Ribosomes:

• Prokaryotic cells: Have smaller ribosomes (70S) consisting of a 50S and a 30S subunit.
• Eukaryotic cells: Have larger ribosomes (80S) consisting of a 60S and a 40S subunit.

Cell Division:

• Prokaryotic cells: Reproduce through binary fission, a simpler form of cell division where the cell divides into two identical daughter cells.
• Eukaryotic cells: Reproduce through mitosis (for somatic cells) or meiosis (for reproductive cells), involving complex processes of cell division with multiple stages.

Cytoplasmic Structures:

• Prokaryotic cells: Lack membrane-bound organelles. They may contain ribosomes, a cell wall (in bacteria), flagella, and pili.
• Eukaryotic cells: Contain various membrane-bound organelles such as the endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, mitochondria, lysosomes, and chloroplasts (in plants).

Examples:

• Prokaryotic cells: Bacteria and archaea.
• Eukaryotic cells: Protists, fungi, plants, and animals.

Prokaryotic: unicellular, contain a cell wall, have no mitochondria or chloroplasts, no nucleus so DNA is free in the cytoplasm (plasmids in bacteria) cell division is binary fission

examples : fungi and bacteria

eukaryotic: multicellular, no cell wall only cell membrane, contain mitochondria and chloroplasts in plant cells, DNA enclosed in a nucleus, cell division is mitosis

examples: plant cells, animal cells

So 1st to remember the difference, I say to word eukaryotic the beginning sounds like you so I think okay what am I, technically a form of ‘animal’ with ‘animal cells’ so I think okay animal cells, and connect it to plant cells etc, that’s the basic of it. Then I automatically know okay so prokaryotic cells are the non-membrane bounded ones: bacteria fungi etc.

DIFFERENCES (BASIC TERMS):

Eukaryotic:

• Membrane bound nucleus + organelles
• Cell wall made of cellulose
• Larger ribosomes
• Cell division by mitosis

Prokaryotic:

• Not membrane bound
• Cell wall made of chitin
• Smaller ribosomes
• Cell divisions by binary fission

The trick lies in the words themselves. Karyon in Greek means kernel, and in this case it is the nucleus. Prokaryotic organisms do not have a nucleus and tend to be simpler, more primitive (e.g., bacteria are prokaryotes. Eukaryotic organisms have a nucleus and tend to be more complex (e.g., animals and plants). Prokaryotic cells also do not have membrane-bound organelles (e.g., mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, etc) while eukaryotic cells do. Prokaryotic organisms have a cell wall and go through binary fission when replicating, while eukaryotic organisms typically have cell membranes (plant cells have cell walls but animal cells don't) and replicate by mitosis.

membrane bound organelles, including the nucleus are only present in eukaryotic cells

Prokaryotic cells are forexample bacterial cell. They have no nucleus. Eukaryotic cells are human cells and consists of a nucleus, DNA.

There are few aspects between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells that differ, some of which are:

• Prokaryotic cells do not have a nucleus - the loop of DNA is free in the cytoplasm, whilst in eukaryotic cells the DNA is enclosed in a nucleus
• Prokaryotic cells have additional loops of DNA called plasmids, however eukaryotic cells don't have any plasmids
• Prokaryotic cells are encased by a cell wall, however eukaryotic cells don't have a cell wall around them
• Prokaryotic cells don't have any membrane-bound organelles such as a nucleus or mitochondria, however eukaryotic cells do have membrane-bound organelles within them
• Prokaryotic cells tend to be unicellular whilst eukaryotic cells tend to be multicellular

Prokaryotic cells do not have a nucleus while eukaryotic cells do. Also, prokaryotic cells do not have membrane-bound organelles and are significantly smaller than eukaryotic cells

The difference between a prokaryotic cell and a eukaryotic cell is that a prokaryotic cell does not have a nucleus (such as a bacteria cell) and eukaryotic cells have a nucleus (animal and plant cells).

eukaryotic cell have clear defined round nucleus but prokaryotes don't

eukaryotic cells have large ribosomes but prokaryotic have small ribosomes

Prokaryotic cells have no nucleus and no membrane-bound organelles (such as e, chloroplast etc). Whereas, eukaryotic cells have a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.

Hi!

Prokaryotic cells are cells that aren't from animals or plants. They may originate from bacteria and other microorganisms. Prokaryotic cells have no nucleus, but rather store DNA in small loops called plasmids, unlike eukaryotes. Prokaryotic cells also may have flagella (tails to help them move) or slime capsules to help them escape white blood cells. On the contrary eukaryotic cells have neither.

I hope that helps!