General Cell Structure

There are two general types of cells which are distinguished by cell structure. They are prokaryotes and eukaryotes. There are many simlarities in these two types of cells. They are both highly organized, are capable of growth and reproduction, and both contain the same the same herediatary molecule, DNA. Prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells are the two major divisions of cell structure. Their sub-divisions are illustrated in the chart below.

Prokaryotic cells have a much simpler structure than eurkaryotes. They do not have a nucleus and the hereditary information is not seperated from other organelles within the cell. The fact that the DNA is not seperated from everything else in the cell is the prime factor in distinguishing between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Prokaryotes also have 70S ribosomes.

Right: Colorized micrograph of a prokaryotic cell of the bacterium.
Left: Colorized micrograph of a eukaryotic cell of the green algae.

Eukaryotes

Eukaryotic cells are complex with numerous organelles. The hereditary material (DNA) is contained within the cell nucleus. They contain 80S ribosomes and many additional cell structures as seen in the table below.