Eukaryotic and Prokaryotic Cells

Eukaryotic and Prokaryotic Cells

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Eukaryotic and Prokaryotic Cells

All cells of the body are either prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells. It depends on whether their genetic material is enclosed by the nuclear or not. The prokaryotic cells are the most common primitive cells. They lack a definite nucleus. That leads to the chromatin bodies being scattered inside the cytoplasm. The nucleus without the membrane is referred to as a nucleoid. Some of the cells include bacteria, and cyanobacteria or the blue-green algae. On the contrary, the eukaryotic cells are cells that evolve from the prokaryotes. Unlike the prokaryotes, the eukaryote cells have a definite nucleus where the chromatin bodies are enclosed using a nuclear membrane. In addition to that, the eukaryotic cells are larger in size in comparison to the prokaryotes. Additionally, they have an organized structure in comparison to the prokaryotes (Lesli, 2005). This discussion highlights the similarities and differences between Eukaryotic and Prokaryotic Cells.

Differences

The most significant difference between the prokaryotes and eukaryotes exists in the nuclei. The eukaryotes have a true nucleus that contains the DNA while the prokaryotes do not have a membrane-bound nucleus that encloses the genetic materials. That is the reason why the genetic materials in the eukaryotes are organized while it is scattered in the prokaryotes. Moreover, the DNA in eukaryotes is associated with the histones whereas in prokaryotic cells it has no histone proteins. In addition to that, in the eukaryotic cells have introns that splice the RNA to start functioning (Lesli, 2005). On the other hand, the prokaryotic cells do not have the introns in the DNA and RNA and do not need splicing.

Another difference is that the eukaryotic cells have lysosomes, glyoxysomes, and spherosomes in comparison to the prokaryotes that lack them. Moreover, the microtubules and microfilaments are present in the eukaryotes but absent in prokaryotes. It is also worth notable that sexual reproduction takes place in eukaryotes but not the prokaryotes. That is also linked to the interphase and mitosis phases that occur in cell cycles in the eukaryotes. On the contrary, prokaryotes lack the interphase stages of cell cycle (Lesli, 2005). Other processes such as the endocytosis and exocytosis occur in the eukaryotic cells as opposed to the prokaryotic cells.