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Basic Biology - Organisms and cells
 Prokaryotic cells are smaller than eukaryotic cells
Prokaryotic cells have simpler structures than eukaryotes. An example would be that they do not have any inner cellular membranes that are always present in
Eukaryotes.
Prokaryotes are single cellular organisms, but note that
being a single cell does not mean that an organism is a prokaryote. Being
smaller than eukaryotes does not mean that prokaryotes are any less important -
for instance it is quite likely that the number of bacteria living in the mouth
and digestive tract of a human are larger than the number of eukaryotic cells
in the same individual and many of these bacteria are necessary for a human
being to live a normal life.
Prokaryotes are sometimes also known as microbes.
A eukaryotic cell has a nucleus, which is separated from the rest of the cell by
a membrane. The nucleus contains chromosomes, which are the carriers of the
genetic material, DNA. There are internal membrane enclosed compartments
within eukaryotic cells, called organelles, e.g., centrioles, lysosomes, golgi
complexes and mitochondria among others (see picture of organelles in a cell), which are specialised
for particular biological processes.
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