1. Cell structure and Function
1.2.b.Why did the Eukaryotic cell Form ?
Why did the eukaryotic cell form?
Dr V Malathi and Mrs Sushumna Rao
Smaller size is a basic requirement of both Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic cell .
To understand this let us consider the area and volume of a typical cell.
Most cells have a spherical shape though not all.
The formula for calculating the surface area of a sphere is 4πr2, while the formula for its volume is 4πr3/3.
Thus, as the radius of a cell increases, its surface area increases as the square of its radius, but its volume increases as the cube of its radius .
Therefore one can understand that as a cell increases in size, its surface area-to-volume ratio decreases.
This same principle would apply if the cell had the shape of a cube .
If the cell grows too large, the plasma membrane will not have sufficient surface area to support the rate of diffusion required for the increased volume.
This would make the cell less efficient as it grows
The cell solves this problem by 2 ways
- dividing
- develops organelles that perform specific tasks. These adaptations lead to the development of eukaryotic cells.
“Comparing Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Cells” by Openoregon .pressbooks is licensed under CC BY 4.0