Saturday, August 15, 2009

Eukaryotic Cells

Eukaryotic cells (from the Greek meaning truly nuclear) comprise all of the life kingdoms except monera. They can be easily distinguished through a membrane-bound nucleus.



Eukaryotic cells also contain many internal membrane-bound structures called organelles. These organelles such as the mitochondrion or chloroplast serve to perform metabolic functions and energy conversion. Other organelles like intracellular filaments provide structural support and cellular motility. The function of individual organelles is described in detail in the Cell Anatomy.



Another important member of the eukaryote family is the plant cell. They function essentially in the same manner as other eukaryotic cells, but there are three unique structures which set them apart. Plastids, cell walls, and vacuoles are present only in plant cells.