Prokaryotes vs. Eukaryotes

Prokaryotes vs. Eukaryotes

Every cell on our planet is either a prokaryotic or a eukaryotic cell. There are many differences between the two cell types. The table on this page highlights just a few of the main differences.

A prokaryotic cell and a eukaryotic cell

Prokaryotes		Eukaryotes
Small cell size (0.2 - 2 um)		Large cell size (10 - 100 um)
Nucleus absent		Nucleus present
Membrane-bound organelles absent		Membrane-bound organelles present
DNA in circular chromosomes		DNA in linear chromosomes
Cell division by binary fission		Cell division by mitosis and meiosis

Bacteria and microbes from the group Archaea are prokaryotes. All other life, including plants, animals, fungus, and amoebas, are eukaryotes. The eukaryotic cell shown above on the right is representative of an animal cell.

Additional images via Wikimedia Commons. Prokaryotic cell by LadyofHats.

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You may need to edit author's name to meet the style formats, which are in most cases "Last name, First name."

Bibliographic details:

Article: Prokaryotes vs. Eukaryotes
Author(s): Sally Warring
Publisher: Arizona State University School of Life Sciences Ask A Biologist
Site name: ASU - Ask A Biologist
Date published: February 24, 2016
Date accessed: January 10, 2025
Link: https://askabiologist.asu.edu/prokaryotes-vs-eukaryotes

APA Style

Sally Warring. (2016, February 24). Prokaryotes vs. Eukaryotes. ASU - Ask A Biologist. Retrieved January 10, 2025 from https://askabiologist.asu.edu/prokaryotes-vs-eukaryotes

American Psychological Association. For more info, see http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/10/

Chicago Manual of Style

Sally Warring. "Prokaryotes vs. Eukaryotes". ASU - Ask A Biologist. 24 February, 2016. https://askabiologist.asu.edu/prokaryotes-vs-eukaryotes

For more info, see http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/717/04/

MLA 2017 Style

Sally Warring. "Prokaryotes vs. Eukaryotes". ASU - Ask A Biologist. 24 Feb 2016. ASU - Ask A Biologist, Web. 10 Jan 2025. https://askabiologist.asu.edu/prokaryotes-vs-eukaryotes

Modern Language Association, 7th Ed. For more info, see http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/08/

Plant cells are a type of eukaryotic cell.

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