What influences cell size?

[Jonathan488]

What influences cell size? For example, what influences a potatoes greater cell size compared to an onions cell size?

[LilKim]

nature and nurture (or genetics and environment)

[sachin_vch]

Genetics is Good reason.

But there is somthing that is superior to genetics is.

Adaptation

Cell of every organism is characteristic of its habitat.

Deff. btwn. Cactus and Weeds.

[Dr.Stein]

nature and nurture (or genetics and environment)

Great point, LilKim! I love that

[sdekivit]

i also to agree with sachin_vch --> cells can adapt to its environment with different mechanisms: atrophy, hypertrophy, hyperplasia, dysplasia or metaplasia

[druid]

Generally, cell size depends on surface-to-volume relation. A/V ~ 1/r. For bigger volume bigger surface is required ( say, to keep an adequate rate of food entry / waste desposal ). But surface grows much slower than volume ( actually, as 1/r compared to volume ) thus limiting maximum size of a cell.
The biggest microbe known is Thiomargarita namibiensis
( ~0.75 mm diameter ), but most of the volume is took by sulfur-containing vacuole.
The smallest microbe is Nanoarchaeum equitans ( 400 nm ).
The lower limit of cell size is defined not by A/V ratio but by the minimum volume which can accomodate large biopolymers and enzymes ( like dna/ribosomes).

Links:
http://www.microbeworld.org/know/largest.aspx
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thiomargarita_namibiensis
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanoarchaeum

[Jonathan488]

Ok but what could be a reason why potato cells are larger than onion cells. Could a reason be that starch granules displace a certain amt. of water and the cell wall must expand to compensate?

[druid]

Ok but what could be a reason why potato cells are larger than onion cells. Could a reason be that starch granules displace a certain amt. of water and the cell wall must expand to compensate?

Because biological systems are very adaptable and potato cells belong to such systems, IMHO they easily could expand/shrink anything for best performance!

BTW, there is some possibility that onion cells and potato cells have different sizes because they are different organisms.