Discussion guide for eukaryotic characteristics
At this point you should have a good understanding of the manner in which prokaryotes are similar and also
how they differ. You should also have a feel for the importance of these differences both to the cells involved
(why do eukaryotes have mitochondria, but bacteria do not?), and clinically (why is it important to us that
bacteria make peptidoglycan, but we don’t?). In that light:
List as many similarities and differences between prokaryotes and eukaryotes as you can.
- Similarities: Flagella functions are the same
Glycocalyx
Some have a Cell Wall
Cell Membrane made of phospholipid bilayer and contains same channels, proteins, etc as well
as same functions
DNA
Ribosomes
Cytoskeleton
- Differences: Eukaryotic cells are much bigger
Eukaryotic cells more complex
Flagella found in eukaryotes are made of microtubules
Another appendage in eukaryotes is cilia —> used to move around and pull food towards them
Eukaryotic cell walls made of chitin, pectin, cellulose instead of peptidoglycan
Eukaryotic cell membranes contain much more sterols
Eukaryotic DNA resides in the nucleus in linear chromatins instead of circular chromosomes
Eukaryotes have organelles like a nucleus, mitochondria, smooth and rough ER, Golgi apparatus,
Eukaryotes sometimes use a specialized endocytosis process called phagocytosis to consume and
digest food
Draw a ciliated, encapsulated eukaryotic cell. Make sure you label all the structures that define this cell,
and any others that you can think of, remembering you need to know what function these structures
have.
, Flagellum and cilia: help the cell move and gather food
Cell membrane: channels, pumps, receptors integrated into the lipid bilayer and help keep cell
shape, regulate what enters and exits the cell, receives signals from external stimuli
Nucleus: command center that holds genetic information
Endoplasmic reticulum (rough): studded with ribosomes and the site where proteins are
synthesized and processed
Endoplasmic reticulum (smooth): makes lipids, detoxifies bad molecules, storage site for
calcium
Golgi apparatus: site where proteins are modified and packaged for delivery outside the cell
Ribosomes: Plays part in transcription and translation in the cell for protein synthesis
Mitochondria: produce lots of ATP (energy) for the cell functions
Cytoskeleton: made of three types of fibers, helps maintain cell structure, involved in moving
stuff around inside the cell, involved in locomotion, critical to growth, development, and reproduction
(responsible for puling apart chromosomes in mitosis and meiosis)
Compare and contrast bacterial and eukaryotic flagella.
At this point you should have a good understanding of the manner in which prokaryotes are similar and also
how they differ. You should also have a feel for the importance of these differences both to the cells involved
(why do eukaryotes have mitochondria, but bacteria do not?), and clinically (why is it important to us that
bacteria make peptidoglycan, but we don’t?). In that light:
List as many similarities and differences between prokaryotes and eukaryotes as you can.
- Similarities: Flagella functions are the same
Glycocalyx
Some have a Cell Wall
Cell Membrane made of phospholipid bilayer and contains same channels, proteins, etc as well
as same functions
DNA
Ribosomes
Cytoskeleton
- Differences: Eukaryotic cells are much bigger
Eukaryotic cells more complex
Flagella found in eukaryotes are made of microtubules
Another appendage in eukaryotes is cilia —> used to move around and pull food towards them
Eukaryotic cell walls made of chitin, pectin, cellulose instead of peptidoglycan
Eukaryotic cell membranes contain much more sterols
Eukaryotic DNA resides in the nucleus in linear chromatins instead of circular chromosomes
Eukaryotes have organelles like a nucleus, mitochondria, smooth and rough ER, Golgi apparatus,
Eukaryotes sometimes use a specialized endocytosis process called phagocytosis to consume and
digest food
Draw a ciliated, encapsulated eukaryotic cell. Make sure you label all the structures that define this cell,
and any others that you can think of, remembering you need to know what function these structures
have.
, Flagellum and cilia: help the cell move and gather food
Cell membrane: channels, pumps, receptors integrated into the lipid bilayer and help keep cell
shape, regulate what enters and exits the cell, receives signals from external stimuli
Nucleus: command center that holds genetic information
Endoplasmic reticulum (rough): studded with ribosomes and the site where proteins are
synthesized and processed
Endoplasmic reticulum (smooth): makes lipids, detoxifies bad molecules, storage site for
calcium
Golgi apparatus: site where proteins are modified and packaged for delivery outside the cell
Ribosomes: Plays part in transcription and translation in the cell for protein synthesis
Mitochondria: produce lots of ATP (energy) for the cell functions
Cytoskeleton: made of three types of fibers, helps maintain cell structure, involved in moving
stuff around inside the cell, involved in locomotion, critical to growth, development, and reproduction
(responsible for puling apart chromosomes in mitosis and meiosis)
Compare and contrast bacterial and eukaryotic flagella.
