2.10 Origins of Cell Compartmentalization

Describe similarities and/or differences in compartmentalization between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.

• Membrane-bound organelles such as mitochondria and chloroplasts evolved from once free-living prokaryotic cells via endosymbiosis.
• Prokaryotes typically lack internal membrane-bound organelles but have internal regions with specialized structures and functions.
• Eukaryotic cells maintain internal membranes that partition the cell into specialized regions.