Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Cells by Caitlin

The tree in your backyard, the fish living in your pond, and the birds in the sky are all made of the cells. Cells are what all living organisms are composed of. Despite how small they are, cells can vary greatly. There are two different types of cells called prokaryotic and eukaryotic.

Prokaryotic:

These cells are much simpler than eukaryotic cells. Imagine an apartment compared to a mansion. The two major types of prokaryotic cells are bacteria and archaebacteria. The four main structures shared by all prokaryotes include a plasma membrane, cytoplasm, ribosomes, and DNA/RNA. Scientists believe that eukaryotes actually came from prokaryotes.

Eukaryotic:

The defining characteristic of a eukaryotic cell is its nucleus. The name actually means true nucleus. Eukaryotic cells have membrane bound organelles like mitochondria, golgi apparatus, and ribosomes. Humans are made of eukaryotic cells.

Interesting Facts:

●     Each human being carries 20 times more bacterial (prokaryotic) cells than human cells (eukaryotic).

●     The majority of cells on Earth are actually prokaryotic.

●     Cells can commit suicide by the way of a process called apoptosis.

Question:

●     What do you think would happen if there were more eukaryotic cells than prokaryotic cells on Earth?