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The Duality of Cells: What is the Difference Between Eukaryotic and Prokaryotic Cells?
Cells are the basic structural and functional units of all life forms. Each cell consists of cytoplasm surrounded by a membrane; many cells also contain organelles with specialized functions. From the Latin word "cellula", cell means "small room". In fact, most cells can only be observed through a microscope.
All cells have the ability to replicate, synthesize proteins and move.
Cells appeared on Earth about four billion years ago, and can be broadly divided into two categories based on their structure and function: eukaryotic cells and prokaryotic cells. Eukaryotic cells have a nucleus, while prokaryotic cells lack a nucleus and instead have something called a ribosomal compartment. Prokaryotic cells are mainly single-celled organisms, such as bacteria, while eukaryotic cells can be both single-celled organisms, such as amoeba, and multicellular organisms, such as some algae, plants, animals, and fungi.
Prokaryotic cells
Prokaryotes include bacteria and archaea, which are one of the three domains of life. Prokaryotes are the earliest life forms and are known for their important biological processes such as cell signaling. Prokaryotic cells are simple in structure and small in size, lacking a nucleus and other membrane-enclosed organelles. Their DNA consists of a single circular chromosome that directly contacts the cytoplasm and its nuclear region is called the ribosome. Most prokaryotes are only 0.5 to 2.0 micrometers in diameter.
Prokaryotic cells usually have a cell wall surrounding their cell membrane, which provides rigidity to the cell and separates the interior of the cell from the external environment.
Some prokaryotic cells have structures such as flagella and cilia on the outside, which can promote cell movement and communication between cells.
Eukaryotic Cells
Eukaryotes include plants, animals, fungi, amoeba and algae. These cells are about fifteen times the diameter of a typical prokaryotic cell and can be a thousand times larger in volume. The main characteristic of eukaryotic cells is compartmentalization, that is, the possession of membrane-enclosed organelles within which different functions are carried out. The most important organelle is the nucleus, which houses the cell's DNA and distinguishes it from prokaryotic cells.
The DNA of eukaryotic cells is organized into one or more linear molecules (chromosomes), and all chromosomal DNA is stored in the cell nucleus.
Many eukaryotic cells have motile cilia or flagella, and the structure of eukaryotic flagella is more complex than that of prokaryotic cells.
Subcellular components of a cell
All cells, whether prokaryotic or eukaryotic, have a membrane that surrounds the cell, regulates the entry and exit of substances, and maintains the cell's electrical potential. The cytoplasm inside the cell takes up most of the cell's volume and contains DNA and RNA. DNA is the genetic material of genes, while RNA carries the information for synthesizing various proteins such as enzymes. The main components of these cells and their functions include:
Cell membrane
The cell membrane is a selectively permeable biological membrane surrounding the cytoplasm, composed of a phospholipid bilayer, which enables the cell membrane to protect and distinguish the cell from the external environment.
Cytoskeleton
The cytoskeleton helps organize and maintain the shape of the cell, holds internal organelles in place, and plays an important role in helping cells grow and move.
Genetic material
The two types of genetic material in cells are DNA and RNA. Among them, DNA is responsible for long-term information storage, while RNA is mainly used for information transmission and catalytic functions.
Cellular Functions
How do the processes of how cells replicate and grow differ in prokaryotes and eukaryotes? Prokaryotic cells usually replicate through the process of binary fission, while eukaryotic cells divide through the process of mitosis. In multicellular organisms, this process is fundamental to growing tissues.
Maintaining the integrity of DNA within cells is critical to preventing cell death or mutations due to damage.
In summary, there are significant structural differences between eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells, which affect their functions and adaptability. This makes us wonder, in our daily lives, what profound impact do the characteristics of these cells have on our health and the environment?
