A prokaryotic cell with a rigid cell wall is limited in how large it can grow.A eukaryotic cell, with a flexible cell membrane, is able to grow much larger.The primary reason for this is that
A) the flexible cell membrane in a eukaryotic cell allows for infolding, increasing surface area.
B) there are no surface area-to-volume constraints on a eukaryotic cell.
C) eukaryotic cells have mitochondria, which require the cell to be larger.
D) eukaryotic cells have a cytoskeleton, which allows for a smaller surface area-to-volume ratio.
E) eukaryotic cells must to be large to accommodate food vacuoles.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The flexible cell membrane in a eukaryotic cell allows for infolding, which increases the surface area of the cell. This increase in surface area helps to counteract the volume increase that occurs as the cell grows, allowing the cell to continue functioning properly. Prokaryotic cells, on the other hand, have a rigid cell wall that limits their growth due to constraints on their surface area-to-volume ratio.

A Prokaryotic Cell with a Rigid Cell Wall Is Limited