Why are all cells smaller than 1mm?

Question

Isn't there bigger cells?

Answer 1

Yes, frogs eggs are single cells that are bigger than 1 mm. BUT, in ALL other cells, they are so tiny so as to increase the surface area-to-inside-cell ratio.


edit**AMEOBAS AND SKIN CELLS ARE NOT BIGGER THAN A MM**

The guy above me : What about archaea, bacteria, and protists, for example? Those things you listed are results of the small cell blueprint, not causes.

Answer 2

Actually, there do exist cells that are mch longer than 1mm. Nerve cells in the human body, and most likely other animal peripheral nervous systems, can far surpass this measly legnth. Individual nerve cells in the human body can be up to a foot long, and also, striated muscle tissue contains nerve cells that are enlongated and contain many nuclei. This technicality taken care of, most cells are small because of how many complex processes must occur at all times inside of the cell. For instance, a food particle that entered a large cell (lets say, for sake of example, an inch) would take a much greater amount of time to be carried to a lysosome and digested. Also, waste products would take a longer time to exit the cell, and waste would accumulate, reaching toxic levels, and the cell would die. Also, think of how complex it would be for a cell of such a size to undergo mitosis! Cells cannot generally reach such sizes because the results of size increase will eventually kill the organism. That's why we don't find any giant ameobas, growing unbridled and ingesting humans!

Answer 3

Think about the necessary things needed to make a cell. They are all much much smaller... Therefore there is no reason for them to be bigger than a 1mm.

Answer 4

For a sphere, the equations are: quantity = (4/3) pi r^3 floor area = 4 pi r^2 assume the start radius is 3 the quantity would be (4/3) pi 3^3 = (4/3) pi 27 = 4 pi 9 = 36 pi the exterior area would be 4 pi 3^2 = 4 pi 9 = 36 pi The suface area/quantity ratio is a million. Now assume the radius doubles to six. the quantity would be (4/3) pi 6^3 = (4/3) pi 216 = 4 pi seventy two = 288 pi the exterior area would be 4 pi 6^2 = 4 pi 36 = one hundred forty four pi The suface area/quantity ratio is a million/2. So quantity grows extra rapidly than floor area does. the extra advantageous quantity potential that extra nutrition are needed, however the upward push of the exterior area did not save %. with the upward push in quantity, so not adequate nutrition would be imported into the cellular. subsequently, it may well be extra powerful to have extra small cells than to have a million extra advantageous cellular.

Answer 5

Many cells like nerve cells are over a meter long but when a cell's volume gets to big and the surface area to small it will die because the nutrition can't be pulled that far in. so a cell can be huge it just needs the surface area to volume ratio to be huge also.

Answer 6

dis is because if they are not so small they can't perform their roles in the body. like transportation etc.and also they make up tissues which make up organs that bring about systems, and this forms the whole body. Imagine if it waz bigger, this means the tissues, organs, and even the system will be bigger causing oversize or giantism[abnormal] so it is perfect like dat, cheers.

Answer 7

lots of small cells have more surface area (for respiration, absorption, etc) than one big cell.

check the other answers for larger cell types.

Answer 8

Yes.
Amoebas, skin cells, and eggs.

Answer 9

aren't the neurons in squid bigger than 1mm?

Answer 10

eggs are cells, ostrich eggs are like 140mm is diameter