The differences and similarities of Eukaryotic and Prokaryotic Cells.

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The differences and similarities of Eukaryotic and Prokaryotic Cells

Introduction

Cells are the basic building blocks of life. Cells across all types of organisms can be fundamentally categorised into being either Euraryotic or Prokaryotic cells. Any organism usually only contains type of the given cells but not both. Prokaryotic are very simple cells that have existed since the dawn of life and are generally smaller than the more complex Eukaryotic cells. Bacteria are made up of one or more prokaryotic cells. While Eukaryotic cells are found inside plant and animal life. Eukaryotic cells are more advanced and larger.

History

Around 3.5 billion years ago life first began on earth in the form of very simplistic Prokaryotic cells. These evolved from microspheres that formed from out of a primordial soup that contained the ingredients of life. 3.5 billion years later these cells still exist today.

Then approximately 1.8 billion years ago Eukaryotic cells first evolved. This was a really big step in the evolution of life. Until this point, all organisms were bacteria that were prokaryotic (without a nucleus). It is thought that there were different types of these prokaryotic bacteria living together, one inside of the other, helping each other survive (this is called symbiosis). Eventually, they lived together so long that they lost the ability to live apart. The ones that lived inside the others became mitochondria. Mitochondria are the parts inside of all eukaryotic cells where respiration takes place (respiration is using oxygen and food to make energy). It is thought that other cell parts evolved in the same way, from partnerships between large and small bacteria. Cells that have these smaller parts inside of them are called eukaryotic. These first eukaryotic cells were the basis for all plant cells, animal cells, fungi cells, and protoctista cells. Animals would never have evolved at all without eukaryotic cells.

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The nuclear Body

The nuclear body in a Eukaryotic cell is clearly defined by its nuclear membrane; within the nuclear body there are one or more linear chromosome pairs composed of DNA. The Eukaryotic cell has a nucleolus present inside the nuclear body this is where ribosomal subunits are assembled. The nuclear body in a Eukaryotic cell is called a nucleus. The nuclear body in a Prokaryotic cell is not bounded by a nuclear membrane unlike the Eukaryotic cell. The nuclear body in a Prokaryotic cell usually contains one singular chromosome composed of DNA. Unlike the Eukaryotic cell ...

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