Download WHAT LIMITS CELL SIZE

WHAT LIMITS CELL SIZE?
1.
DIFFUSION: Diffusion is a fast and efficient process over short distances,
however becomes slow and inefficient as distance increases
Ex: mitochondria at center of very large cell – can’t get necessary
nutrients from diffusion
2.
DNA LIMITS CELL SIZE: Blueprints for proteins cannot be copied in the
nucleus and made into proteins in the cytoplasm quickly enough
3.
SURFACE AREA TO VOLUME RATIO: As cell’s size increases, volume
increases much faster than surface area
*Ex: Plasma membrane may not have enough surface area through which
oxygen, nutrients, and wastes could diffuse
-Cell would either starve to death or be poisoned by buildup of wastes