How is a prokaryotic cell different from a eukaryotic cell?
| Prokaryotic cell | Eukaryotic cell |
| Most prokaryotes are unicellular. | Most eukaryotes are multicellular. |
| Size of the cell is generally small (0.5- 5 µm). | Size of the cell is generally large (50- 100 µm). |
| Nuclear region is poorly defined due to the absence of a nuclear membrane or the cell lacks true nucleus. | Nuclear region is well-defined and is surrounded by a nuclear membrane, or true nucleus bound by a nuclear membrane is present in the cell. |
| It contains a single chromosome. | It contains more than one chromosome. |
| Nucleolus is absent. | Nucleolus is present. |
| Membrane-bound cell organelles such as plastids, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, etc. are absent. | Cell organelles such as mitochondria, plastids, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, lysosomes, etc. are present. |
| Cell division occurs through binary fission | Cell division occurs by mitosis. |
| Prokaryotic cells are found in bacteria and blue-green algae. | Eukaryotic cells are found in fungi, plants, and animal cells. |
