Why cells are microscopic: A transport-time perspective
Soh S.1, Banaszak M.3, Kandere-Grzybowska K.1, Grzybowski B. A.1,2
- 1Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, IL 60208, United States
- 2Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, IL 60208, United States
- 3Faculty of Physics, Adam Mickiewicz University, Ul. Umultowska 85, 61-614 Poznan, Poland
Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters, 4 (6), pp.861-865, 2013
DOI:: 10.1021/jz3019379
Abstract:
Physical-chemical reasoning is used to demonstrate that the sizes of both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells are such that they minimize the times needed for the macromolecules to migrate throughout the cells and interact/react with one another. This conclusion does not depend on a particular form of the crowded-medium diffusion model, as thus points toward a potential optimization principle of cellular organisms. In eukaryotes, size optimality renders the diffusive transport as efficient as active transport - in this way, the cells can conserve energetic resources that would otherwise be expended in active transport. © 2013 American Chemical Society.
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