• Animal and plant cells are types of?eukaryotic?cells, whereas bacteria are a type of?prokaryote
• Prokaryotic cells are much?smaller?than eukaryotic cells
• They also differ from eukaryotic cells in having
  • A?cytoplasm?that?lacks membrane-bound organelles
  • Ribosomes?that are?smaller (70 S) than those found in eukaryotic cells (80 S)
  • No nucleus,?instead having a?single circular?bacterial chromosome?that is free in the cytoplasm and is?not associated with proteins
  • A cell wall that contains the glycoprotein?murein
    • Murein is sometimes known as?peptidoglycan
• In addition, many prokaryotic cells also have the following structures
  • Loops of DNA known as?plasmids
  • Capsules
  • Flagella (singular flagellum)
  • Pili (singular pilus)
  • A cell membrane that contains folds known as?mesosomes

Additional Prokaryotic Structures Table

Bacteria are prokaryotic cells

Prokaryotes vs eukaryotes

• There are a number of important structural and physiological differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells
• These differences affect their metabolic processes and how they reproduce

Comparison of Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Cells Table