Which cells have membrane-bound organelles?

Which cells have membrane-bound organelles?

• A. Prokaryotic cells
• B. Eukaryotic cells
• C. Both
• D. None

Answer: (B)

Membrane-bound organelles are compartments inside a cell that are enclosed by lipid membranes. Only certain cells have these internal compartments. Eukaryotic cells carry true membrane-bound organelles, including a nucleus wrapped in its own membrane and organelles like mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, and, in plants, chloroplasts. This internal organization lets different processes occur in specialized environments, supports larger cell size, and enables complex functions. Prokaryotic cells, on the other hand, lack such enclosed compartments; their DNA sits in a region called the nucleoid, and most activities occur in the cytoplasm or on membranes without separate membrane-bound organelles.

Membrane-bound organelles are compartments inside a cell that are enclosed by lipid membranes. Only certain cells have these internal compartments. Eukaryotic cells carry true membrane-bound organelles, including a nucleus wrapped in its own membrane and organelles like mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, and, in plants, chloroplasts. This internal organization lets different processes occur in specialized environments, supports larger cell size, and enables complex functions. Prokaryotic cells, on the other hand, lack such enclosed compartments; their DNA sits in a region called the nucleoid, and most activities occur in the cytoplasm or on membranes without separate membrane-bound organelles.