Prokaryotes
Plant and animal cells have certain structural differences, but they are both classified as Eukaryotes because they have organelles, especially the nucleus. Prokaryotes are organisms that only have one cell like bacteria. Bacteria do not have most of the organelles that eukaryotes have, and they do not have a membrane bound nucleus. Prokaryotes are smaller than eukaryotes and their DNA floats freely inside the cell rather than in the nucleus like in our cells. Prokaryotes do, however, have a plasma membrane and ribosomes, so they are able to make proteins; some also have a cell wall. Prokaryotes are what invade your body when you get a bacterial infection. They are still cells, but they are different from your body’s normal cells.
Synthesis
Even though we are made of lots of cells, remember that you started out as a single cell in your mom and became a multicellular organism. Your mom also used to be one cell part of her mother, and so on. Cells only come from other cells, when those cells divide. The original cell you began as used the DNA instruction manual to make all the proteins needed for the cell to grow and divide many, many times. Certain newly-made cells began using only specific parts of the manual and no other parts—this lead to those cells having a collection of proteins that are different from that of other cells. The collection of certain proteins and organelles determines what the function of a cell is: if it will be a skin cell or a muscle cell. These cells become very different from one another. The cells in your muscles have many mitochondria to produce a lot of energy to contract certain proteins that are excellent at pulling on each other to contract, thus contracting your muscles. This is different from your hair follicle cells that need to have a lot of ribosomes to make and secrete lots of protein that is hair.
In addition to cells having organelles to do different jobs, other molecules and cells must interact with cells to make sure the cell functions properly. The process of a cell can be affected by temperature, pressure, and concentration of certain molecules. When your cells are in a higher temperature, molecules move more quickly which means they are more likely to encounter each other and pass on information. This means that each cell prefers to exist in a very specific set of conditions (temperature, pH etc.) in order to be most efficient. When you are sick you sometimes run a fever, which means your body temperature is higher than normal. This is done because bacteria (also cells) that make you sick can’t work as well at a higher temperature. Your body raises its temperature to help destroy bacteria. This environmental preference is also why organelles exist in separate places in the cells. Since different molecules prefer specific environments the organelles provide that environment so the molecules can function efficiently.
Plant and animal cells have certain structural differences, but they are both classified as Eukaryotes because they have organelles, especially the nucleus. Prokaryotes are organisms that only have one cell like bacteria. Bacteria do not have most of the organelles that eukaryotes have, and they do not have a membrane bound nucleus. Prokaryotes are smaller than eukaryotes and their DNA floats freely inside the cell rather than in the nucleus like in our cells. Prokaryotes do, however, have a plasma membrane and ribosomes, so they are able to make proteins; some also have a cell wall. Prokaryotes are what invade your body when you get a bacterial infection. They are still cells, but they are different from your body’s normal cells.
Synthesis
Even though we are made of lots of cells, remember that you started out as a single cell in your mom and became a multicellular organism. Your mom also used to be one cell part of her mother, and so on. Cells only come from other cells, when those cells divide. The original cell you began as used the DNA instruction manual to make all the proteins needed for the cell to grow and divide many, many times. Certain newly-made cells began using only specific parts of the manual and no other parts—this lead to those cells having a collection of proteins that are different from that of other cells. The collection of certain proteins and organelles determines what the function of a cell is: if it will be a skin cell or a muscle cell. These cells become very different from one another. The cells in your muscles have many mitochondria to produce a lot of energy to contract certain proteins that are excellent at pulling on each other to contract, thus contracting your muscles. This is different from your hair follicle cells that need to have a lot of ribosomes to make and secrete lots of protein that is hair.
In addition to cells having organelles to do different jobs, other molecules and cells must interact with cells to make sure the cell functions properly. The process of a cell can be affected by temperature, pressure, and concentration of certain molecules. When your cells are in a higher temperature, molecules move more quickly which means they are more likely to encounter each other and pass on information. This means that each cell prefers to exist in a very specific set of conditions (temperature, pH etc.) in order to be most efficient. When you are sick you sometimes run a fever, which means your body temperature is higher than normal. This is done because bacteria (also cells) that make you sick can’t work as well at a higher temperature. Your body raises its temperature to help destroy bacteria. This environmental preference is also why organelles exist in separate places in the cells. Since different molecules prefer specific environments the organelles provide that environment so the molecules can function efficiently.