The similarities and differences between eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells.
Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic cells are the two main types of cell found in living organisms. They share many similarities and also many differences. These differences are key to how they function and which jobs they are suitable to perform. Prokaryotic cells are cells that contain a very primitive nucleus as pro- means before and karyon is a Greek word, meaning nucleus. Prokaryotic cells are found in organisms such as bacteria, most commonly eubacteria and archae bacteria. Eukaryotic cells are therefore are found in all other living organisms, the name implying that there is a proper nucleus present. As there is no nucleus present in prokaryotic cells the DNA helix is a single coiled chromosome that is unsupported and so can float freely around the cell, however in a eukaryotic cell the DNA helix is made up of linear chromosomes supported by the histone protein. In Eukaryotic cells there is also a distinct nuclear membrane.
Prokaryotic cells are smaller than Eukaryotic cells, according to "Pharmaceutical Microbiology" the majority of bacteria fall within the general dimensions of 0.75 to 4mm compared to the size of common eukaryotic cells which can be up to 40 times larger than Prokaryotic cells and measure between 50 and 150mm.
Prokaryotic cells and Eukaryotic cells both can contain a cell wall however in prokaryotic cells the cell wall is peptidoglycan (a mixture of sugar and protein) if the organism is a eubacteria, or pseudomurein if the organism is a archae bacteria whereas in eukarotic cells a cell wall is only present if the organism is a plant or a fungi and the cell wall is constructed of cellulose in plants or chitin if the organism is a fungi.
Prokaryotic cells and Eukaryotic cells can both contain cytoplasm. That cytoplasm is made of fatty acids joined to glycerol by an ether linkage in both eubacteria, which is a type of prokaryotic cell and in eukaryotic cells.