What is a Eukaryote?
A eukaryote is a type of cell (or unicellular organism) that possesses a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles, in contrast to prokaryotes (bacteria and archaea) which don’t. Eukaryote means “good/true nut/kernel” in Greek, referring to the nucleus, while “prokaryote” means “before nut/kernel”. Eukaryote cells tend to be larger (by about an order of magnitude) and much more complex than prokaryote cells. All plant, animals, fungi, and many microorganisms are eukaryotes. Eukaryotic cells feature numerous organelles, or cellular sub-units with designated roles. These include mitochondria (which power the cell), endoplasmic reticulum (synthesizes important biomolecules), Golgi apparatus (processes and packages biomolecules), lysosomes (which break down dead or foreign material), centrioles (which mediate cell division), chloroplasts (found in plants), and a strong cytoskeleton. These organelles all float in the cytoplasm, a gooey, semi-transparent fluid that functions as the “blood” of th
