This document compares and contrasts prokaryote and eukaryote cells. It notes that prokaryotes, like bacteria, are unicellular and lack membrane-bound organelles, while eukaryotes, which include plant, animal and protist cells, have organelles enclosed within membranes and can be either unicellular or multicellular. The key distinguishing feature between these cell types is that eukaryotes have a cell nucleus containing DNA, while prokaryotes do not. The document also outlines some of the major organelles found in different eukaryotic cell types.

1. Prokaryote Cell vs Eukaryote Cell
How are these alike? How are they different?
Karen Storey; Kernersville Middle School
September 12, 2014 Cell Diagram: Mariana Ruiz, pub domain

2. What does a cell look like?
• The first person to come up with this word
was Robert Hooke. In 1665 he used a very
simple microscope to look at a piece of
cork. Cork comes from a tree.
• What do you think he saw?

3. 175 years later….
• Anton van Leeuwenhoek became the first
person documented that saw living cells
under the microscope. He called these
cells “animalcules” (little animals)
• What do you think he saw?

4. By 1855, microscope were the
“new way/cool” technology
• Rudolf Virchow actually saw cells
reproducing!

5. The Cellular Level of Organization
Living things are constructed of cells.
Living things may be unicellular or multicellular.
Cell structure is diverse but all cells share common characteristics.
Cells are small so they can exchange materials with their surroundings.
Surface area relative to the volume decreases as size of cell increases.
- limits the size of cells
TEACHER HINT! KNOW THIS….
__________CELL THEORY_______ states:
1. All organisms are composed of one or more cells.
2. Cells are the basic unit of structure and function in organisms.
3. All cells come only from other cells.

6. Tell me about Prokaryotes…
Diagrams:
Prokaryotic Mariana Ruiz
Binary Fission, JW Schmidt
Prokaryotes are
bacteria.
Unicellular with a
cell wall.
Cell wall can be
stained.

7. Why are these differences
in cell wall structure so
important?
Images: Sources unknown

8. We use the color of the stain to determine what type of antibiotic to
use to eliminate the disease they cause.
Gram-positive (purple) Gram-negative (red)
Prokaryotes - Cell Wall
Images: PHIL Public Health Image Library

9. Ok…so what is Eukaryote Cell?
• (eu-, “true”, karyon,
“nucleus”)
• Genetic material
contained in a nuclear
membrane.
• Membrane bound
organelles.
• Evolved from
prokaryotic cells.
Image: Mariana Ruiz

10. Remember: Plants cells have cell walls. Think about their “box-like”
shape. Animal cells do not! (Remember all the different shapes you
saw??)
ORGANELLES
Animal and plant cells
have organelles.
Organelles
compartmentalize
functions within the
cell.
Image: Mariana Ruiz

11. Now let’s
talk about
additional
structures
found in
PLANT
Cells!!
•

12. ENERGY-RELATED ORGANELLES:
Chloroplasts
Nickname: Solar
Panels
Function: Captures
Sunlight Energy &
Makes ATP
Chlorophyll (a green
pigment) absorbs solar
energy for the process of
photosynthesis.
Image: Ollin Wiki

13. So there are really two basic types of cells
______Prokaryote : (bacteria)_________
Almost always single-celled
Reproduce by binary fission (another copy by dividing).
No cell nucleus or any other membrane-bound organelles. DNA
travels openly around the cell.
_______Eukaryote : (plant or animal)_______
Most organisms that we can see, such as trees, grass, worms,
flies, mice, humans, mushrooms and yeast are eukaryotes.
Can either be single-celled or multi-celled.
Can reproduce in one of several ways (Ex. meiosis, mitosis).
Have cell nucleus within containing its DNA.
Nucleus most evident distinction between these cell types.
Images: Mariana Ruiz

14. Plant Cell (Eukaryote)
Image: Mariana Ruiz

15. Protist Cell (Eukaryote)
Image: Mariana Ruiz

16. So how are Eukaryotic (Protist, Animal, & Plant) and
Prokaryotic Cells (Bacteria) alike and how are they
different?
Image:
k12station.blogspot.com/2006_08_01_archive.html

17. SUMMARY of North Carolina
Essential Standard7.L.1.2
• All living things are composed of cells,
from just one to many millions, whose
details usually are visible only through a
microscope.
• A cell is the smallest part of any living
thing. There are many parts of a cell.
• Each part of a cell completes a certain
function for the cell.

18. Organelles Found in All
Eukaryotic Cells
• Cell Membrane - forms the outer boundary of
the cell and allows only certain materials to
move into or out of the cell
• Cytoplasm - a gel-like material inside the
cell; it contains water and nutrients for the
cell
• Nucleus - directs the activity of a cell; it
contains chromosomes with the DNA

19. Common Eukaryotic Organelles
Continued
• Nuclear Membrane - separates the
nucleus from the cytoplasm
• Mitochondria - break down food and
release energy to the cell
• Vacuoles - are storage areas for the cell

20. Organelles Only Found in
Plant Cells
• Cell Wall - provides structure to the plant
cell
• Chloroplasts - contain chlorophyll (a
green pigment) used to capture sunlight
and make food for the plant cell

21. Cells Alive Demo
http://www.cellsalive.com/cells/cell_model.htm