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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Plant cells are a type of eukaryotic cell.

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