Cell Growth
Cell Size and Limitations
Cell Size and Limitations
- Smaller cells operate more efficiently.
- The larger a cell gets, the surface area to volume ratio decreases.
- DNA cannot handle the workload of a large cell. Larger cells also have trouble transporting nutrients and wastes across the membrane.
- Cells divide to stay small.
- The cell cycle consists of interphase, mitosis, and cytokinesis.
- During interphase, the cell grows, copies its DNA, and prepares for division.
- During mitosis, the DNA of the cell is rearranged.
- When DNA is distributed equally on opposite ends of the cell, the cytoplasm divides in the center. This happens during cytokinesis.