Learn what eukaryotic cells are, how they differ from prokaryotic cells, and what organelles they contain. See a diagram of eukaryotic cell structure and function, and get examples of eukaryotic cells in biology. The plasma membrane Like bacteria and archaea, eukaryotic cells have a plasma membrane, a phospholipid bilayer with embedded proteins that separates the internal contents of the cell from its surrounding environment. The plasma membrane controls the passage of organic molecules, ions, water, and oxygen into and out of the cell . Wastes (such as carbon dioxide and ammonia) also leave the cell by passing through the plasma membrane, usually with some help of protein transporters. Figure 2. The ... Cells can be sorted into two large groups: eukaryotic and prokaryotic. Figure 1 below shows a simple diagram of each. Figure 1: A diagram showing the basic structure of a eukaryotic cell and prokaryotic cell . The location of the DNA is highlighted in each. The most notable feature of a eukaryotic cell is the nucleus.
