Prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells are two main types of cells found in all living things. Let's break down the important differences between them in a simple way.

1. Nucleus

• Prokaryotic Cells: These cells do not have a true nucleus. Their genetic material, or DNA, is found in an area called the nucleoid. This area isn’t surrounded by a membrane.
• Eukaryotic Cells: These cells have a true nucleus that is covered by a membrane. This nucleus safely holds the cell's DNA.

2. Size

• Prokaryotic Cells: They are usually smaller, measuring about 0.1 to 5 micrometers across.
• Eukaryotic Cells: These cells are larger, generally ranging from 10 to 100 micrometers in size.

3. Organelles

• Prokaryotic Cells: They don't have any membrane-covered organelles. They do have ribosomes, but these ribosomes are smaller (70S) than those found in eukaryotic cells.
• Eukaryotic Cells: These cells have various membrane-covered organelles. Some examples are the endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, mitochondria, and lysosomes.

4. Cell Wall

• Prokaryotic Cells: Most of these cells have a tough outer layer called a cell wall. In bacteria, it's made from peptidoglycan. In archaea, it’s made of other materials.
• Eukaryotic Cells: Plant and fungal cells have their own type of cell wall (cellulose in plants and chitin in fungi), but animal cells do not have a cell wall.

5. Reproduction

• Prokaryotic Cells: They reproduce asexually, mainly through a process called binary fission. Under perfect conditions, they can reproduce every 20 minutes!
• Eukaryotic Cells: They can reproduce in two ways: through mitosis (which is asexual) and meiosis (which is sexual). Their reproduction process is more complex.

6. Genetic Material

• Prokaryotic Cells: These cells typically have one circular piece of DNA. They might also have smaller extra rings of DNA called plasmids.
• Eukaryotic Cells: They have many linear pieces of DNA, known as chromosomes, that are wrapped around proteins called histones.

Knowing these basic differences helps us understand how different life forms work and how they have evolved over time.