Summary Table of Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Cells and Functions
Components of Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Cells and Functions
| Cell Component | Function | Present in Prokaryotes | Present in Animal Cells | Present in Plant Cells |
| Plasma Membrane | Separates cell from external environment; controls passage of organic molecules, ions, water, oxygen, and wastes into and out of the cell | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cytoplasm | Provides structure to cell; site of many metabolic reactions; medium in which organelles are found | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Nucleoid | Location of DNA | Yes | No | No |
| Nucleus | Cell organelle that houses DNA and directs synthesis of ribosomes and proteins | No | Yes | Yes |
| Ribosomes | Protein synthesis | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mitochondria | ATP production/cellular respiration | No | Yes | Yes |
| Peroxisomes |
Oxidizes and breaks down fatty acids and amino acids, and detoxifies poisons | No | Yes | Yes |
| Vesicles and vacuoles |
Storage and transport; digestive function in plant cells | No | Yes | Yes |
| Centrosome |
Unspecified role in cell division in animal cells; organizing center of microtubules in animal cells | No | Yes | No |
| Lysosomes |
Digestion of macromolecules; recycling of worn-out organelles | No | Yes | No |
| Cell wall |
Protection, structural support and maintenance of cell shape | Yes, primarily peptidoglycan in bacteria but not Archaea | No | Yes, primarily cellulose |
| Chloroplasts | Photosynthesis | No | No | Yes |
| Endoplasmic reticulum | Modifies proteins and synthesizes lipids | No | Yes | Yes |
| Golgi apparatus
|
Modifies, sorts, tags, packages, and distributes lipids and proteins | No | Yes | Yes |
| Cytoskeleton
|
Maintains cell’s shape, secures organelles in specific positions, allows cytoplasm and vesicles to move within the cell, and enables unicellular organisms to move independently | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Flagella
|
Cellular locomotion | Some | Some | No, except for some plant sperm. |
| Cilia
|
Cellular locomotion, movement of particles along extracellular surface of plasma membrane, and filtration | No | Some | No |
Table 1 The components of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells and their respective functions.
References
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Text adapted from: OpenStax, Concepts of Biology. OpenStax CNX. May 18, 2016 http://cnx.org/contents/b3c1e1d2-839c-42b0-a314-e119a8aafbdd@9.10