Introduction to Cells
Cells are incredibly organized structures made of molecules that serve as the basic unit of life. Every living organism is composed of at least one cell, and they come in two main types: prokaryotic and eukaryotic.
Prokaryotic cells are generally smaller and simpler. The term "pro" means before and "kary" means nucleus, indicating they lack a true nucleus. These single-celled organisms don't enclose their DNA in a nucleus - instead, their DNA is found in an area called the nucleoid. They range from 0.1 to 5.0 micrometers in size and belong to two domains: Bacteria and Archaea.
Eukaryotic cells are larger and more complex than prokaryotic cells. They can be either unicellular or multicellular. A key difference is that prokaryotic cells have a single open space with no internal membranes, while eukaryotic cells contain specialized compartments.
💡 Think of a prokaryotic cell like a studio apartment (one open space) and a eukaryotic cell like a house with many rooms (specialized compartments).
