Which component surrounds a prokaryotic cell?

The component that surrounds a prokaryotic cell is a cell wall. In prokaryotic organisms, such as bacteria, the cell wall serves several essential functions. It provides structural support and protection to the cell, helping to maintain its shape and prevent lysis (breaking open) in hypotonic environments. The cell wall is primarily made of peptidoglycan in bacteria, which is critical for their integrity and resilience.

Prokaryotic cells lack a defined nucleus and membrane-bound organelles, meaning they do not require a nuclear membrane as eukaryotic cells do. They do possess a cell membrane, which is vital for regulating the movement of substances in and out of the cell, but this component is not the outermost layer. Cytoplasm, on the other hand, is the gel-like substance inside the cell that contains all the cellular components, but it does not surround the cell itself. Therefore, the cell wall is the correct and crucial component that provides protection and structure to prokaryotic cells.