PROKARYOTIC VS.

EUKARYOTIC CELLS
Lecture 3
Instructor: Vanessa L. Getaruelas
PROKARYOTES
3 GENETICS

■ Are the single-celled organisms that lack a

membrane-bound organelles such as nucleus,
mitochondria, and all other organelles.
■ Its name comes from the Greek words pro, which
means “before” and karyon, which means “nut or
kernel”
■ All prokaryotic organisms are unicellular.
■ Prokaryotes have a simple internal structure
■ They smaller in size when compared to eukaryotes.
EUKARYOTES
7 GENETICS

■ Are organisms with cells that contain membrane

bound nucleus and other membrane-bound
organelles
■ The nucleus of a eukaryotic cell contains the
genetic material (DNA), enclosed by a nuclear
envelope.
■ Other membrane-bound organelles are
mitochondria, Golgi apparatus, and chloroplast
found in photosynthetic organisms such as algae
and plants.
DIFFERENCES
9 GENETICS

PROKARYOTES EUKARYOTES
• ORGANELLES LACK A • ORGANELLES COVERED
MEMBRANE BY A MEMBRANE
• RIBOSOMES ARE THE • MULTIPLE ORGANELLES
ONLY ORGANELLES INCLUDING RIBOSOMES
• GENETIC MATERIAL
FLOATS IN THE • MEMBRANE COVERED
CYTOPLASM (DNA and GENETIC MATERIAL
RNA)
• CIRCULAR DNA • LINEAR DNA
• IT CAN BE
• UNICELLULAR MULTICELLULAR OR
UNICELLULAR
SIMILARITIES
10 GENETICS

■ Both types of cells have cell membrane (outer

covering of the cell)
■ Both type of cells have ribosomes
■ Both type of cells have DNA
■ Both types of cells have a liquid environment
known as the cytoplasm