3.

4 • Unique Characteristics of Eukaryotic Cells 105

Summary of Cell Structures

Prokaryotes
Cell Structure Eukaryotes
Bacteria Archaea

Cell division Binary fission Binary fission Mitosis, meiosis

• Ester-linked • Ester-linked
• Ether-linked
Membrane lipid • Straight-chain fatty • Branched isoprenoids
• Straight-chain fatty acids
composition acids • Sterols
• Bilayer or monolayer
• Bilayer • Bilayer

• Cellulose (plants, some

• Pseudopeptidoglycan, or
algae)
• Glycopeptide, or
Cell wall • Peptidoglycan, or • Chitin (molluscs, insects,
• Polysaccharide, or
composition • None crustaceans, and fungi)
• Protein (S-layer), or
• Silica (some algae)
• None
• Most others lack cell walls

Rigid spiral flagella

Motility Rigid spiral flagella Flexible flagella and cilia
composed of archaeal
structures composed of flagellin composed of microtubules
flagellins

Membrane-
bound No No Yes
organelles

Endomembrane
No No Yes (ER, Golgi, lysosomes)
system

• 80S in cytoplasm and rough

ER
Ribosomes 70S 70S • 70S in mitochondria,
chloroplasts

Table 3.2

Cell Morphologies
Eukaryotic cells display a wide variety of different cell morphologies. Possible shapes include spheroid, ovoid,
cuboidal, cylindrical, flat, lenticular, fusiform, discoidal, crescent, ring stellate, and polygonal (Figure 3.36).
Some eukaryotic cells are irregular in shape, and some are capable of changing shape. The shape of a
particular type of eukaryotic cell may be influenced by factors such as its primary function, the organization of
its cytoskeleton, the viscosity of its cytoplasm, the rigidity of its cell membrane or cell wall (if it has one), and
the physical pressure exerted on it by the surrounding environment and/or adjoining cells.