The leading strand is synthesised by adding nucleotides to the 3' end of the growing strand, and the lagging strand is synthesised by adding nucleotides to the 5' end.

The leading strand is synthesised in the same direction as the movement of the replication fork, and the lagging strand is synthesised in the opposite direction.

The leading strand is synthesised at twice the rate of the lagging strand.

The lagging strand is synthesised continuously, whereas the leading strand is synthesised in short fragments that are ultimately stitched together.