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Multiple Choice
What is the primary difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells?
A
Prokaryotic cells have a complex cytoskeleton, while eukaryotic cells do not.
B
Prokaryotic cells are larger than eukaryotic cells.
C
Prokaryotic cells lack a nucleus, while eukaryotic cells have a nucleus.
D
Prokaryotic cells have mitochondria, while eukaryotic cells do not.
Verified step by step guidance
1
Identify the key structural difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Prokaryotic cells do not have a nucleus, whereas eukaryotic cells have a well-defined nucleus.
Understand that the presence or absence of a nucleus is a fundamental distinction. In prokaryotic cells, genetic material is not enclosed within a membrane-bound nucleus, while in eukaryotic cells, the genetic material is contained within a nucleus.
Consider the implications of this difference: the lack of a nucleus in prokaryotic cells means that their DNA is located in a region called the nucleoid, which is not separated from the rest of the cell by a membrane.
Recognize that this structural difference affects other cellular processes, such as transcription and translation, which occur simultaneously in prokaryotes but are separated in eukaryotes due to the presence of a nuclear membrane.
Note that other options provided in the problem are incorrect: prokaryotic cells do not have a complex cytoskeleton, are generally smaller than eukaryotic cells, and lack organelles like mitochondria, which are present in eukaryotic cells.