Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Cells, Microbes & Viruses => Topic started by: The Scientist on 22/06/2010 08:03:32

Title: What modifications would you include to make the cell as large as possible?
Post by: The Scientist on 22/06/2010 08:03:32

Can you please provide some suggestions on how to do so?

Title: What modifications would you include to make the cell as large as possible?
Post by: Bored chemist on 22/06/2010 19:07:00

Some are a metre long; how big do you need?

Title: What modifications would you include to make the cell as large as possible?
Post by: chris on 23/06/2010 23:44:37

Some are more than that - take the nerve cells that run from the tail of a blue whale back to his spinal cord, for example...

Title: What modifications would you include to make the cell as large as possible?
Post by: Bored chemist on 24/06/2010 07:06:34

True, I was thinking of  human cells.

Title: What modifications would you include to make the cell as large as possible?
Post by: iko on 24/06/2010 13:53:28

Bigger cells in larger brains does not mean smarter ideas... [;)]

Title: What modifications would you include to make the cell as large as possible?
Post by: MayoFlyFarmer on 29/06/2010 19:06:32

define what you mean by "big"  are you talking about length?  volume?  surface area?

also, are you looking at a cell that big that still needs to divide?  most larger cells are adult cells that divide from a population of smaller cells and then grow to their adult size and never divide again. 

also, what sort of changes are you thinking of genetic manipulations to make the cell larger?  physical properties of the cell to allow it a large size?  i'm confused by the question.