Which of the following structures is not bound by any membrane system and lies free in the cytoplasm of prokaryotic cells?

Step-by-step solution

In prokaryotic cells, reserve material is stored in the cytoplasm in the form of inclusion bodies. According to NCERT, these are not bound by any membrane system and lie free in the cytoplasm (e.g., phosphate granules, cyanophycean granules, and glycogen granules). Mesosomes and chromatophores are incorrect because they are membranous extensions into the cytoplasm of prokaryotes. Lysosomes are incorrect because they are single membrane-bound organelles found only in eukaryotic cells. Answer: Inclusion body