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Prokaryotic vs. Eukaryotic Cells
Prokaryotic (bacterial) cell — no nucleus, no membrane-bound organelles. DNA sits free in the cytoplasm as the nucleoid; extra small circular DNA = plasmids. Key features: capsule (outermost), cell wall, plasma membrane, ribosomes, pili (attachment/conjugation) and flagellum (motility).
Eukaryotic cell — true membrane-bound nucleus plus many membrane-bound organelles.
| Feature | Animal cell | Plant cell |
|---|---|---|
| Cell wall | absent | present |
| Chloroplast / Amyloplast | absent | present |
| Large central vacuole | small/none | present |
| Centrosome / Lysosome | present | typically absent |
| Mitochondria, ER, Golgi, nucleus | present | present |
Eukaryotic cells specialize for optimized function (red blood cells, neurons, intestinal cells, white blood cells, sperm, ovum, bone cells).