Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

How did cells get their size?

Catherine E Morris1

  • 1Department of Neuroscience, Ottawa Health Research Institute, Ottawa Hospital, Canada. cmorris@ohri.ca

The Anatomical Record
|October 17, 2002
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Embryogenesis in the Presence of Blockers of Mechanosensitive Ion Channels: (embryogenesis/mechanosensitive ion channels/channel blockers/Xenopus/ascidians).

Development, growth & differentiation·2023
Same author

The Donnan-dominated resting state of skeletal muscle fibers contributes to resilience and longevity in dystrophic fibers.

The Journal of general physiology·2021
Same author

Cytotoxic Swelling of Sick Excitable Cells - Impaired Ion Homeostasis and Membrane Tension Homeostasis in Muscle and Neuron.

Current topics in membranes·2018
Same author

A model for studying the energetics of sustained high frequency firing.

PloS one·2018
Same author

Calculating the Consequences of Left-Shifted Nav Channel Activity in Sick Excitable Cells.

Handbook of experimental pharmacology·2017
Same author

Dissemination of a Child Passenger Safety Program Through Trauma Center-Community Partnerships.

Journal of trauma nursing : the official journal of the Society of Trauma Nurses·2017
Same journal

Gross and histological structure of the pharyngeal constrictors in the rabbit.

The Anatomical record·2014
Same journal

The amniotic duct as key to the direction of growth of the human placenta and its orientation in the uterus.

The Anatomical record·2010
Same journal

Mammary structure and secretion in premature and full-term infants.

The Anatomical record·2010
Same journal

Extrapyramidal projections from the cat's cerebral cortex.

The Anatomical record·2010
Same journal

The effect of colchicine on the rat embryo.

The Anatomical record·2010
Same journal

Lymphocytogenesis in human lymph nodes.

The Anatomical record·2010
See all related articles

Cell size homeostasis originated with protocells, where lipid bilayer physics governed early size regulation. Primitive peptides and proteins later evolved to enhance volume and surface area control, establishing cell size set points.

Area of Science:

  • Origin of Life Studies
  • Cell Biology
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Cells exhibit size homeostasis, a fundamental property whose evolutionary origins are explored.
  • Early life likely emerged from protocells, with self-assembling lipid bilayers as a key component.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the origins of cell size homeostasis.
  • To define protocells as Darwinian liposomes and explore their size regulation mechanisms.

Main Methods:

  • Conceptual analysis of protocell physics, including liposome dynamics (fission, fusion, osmotic forces).
  • Exploration of the role of primitive peptides, protein aggregates, and cytoskeletal structures in size control.

Main Results:

  • Early protocell size regulation was governed by lipid bilayer physics and osmotic forces.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Bilayer tension plays a crucial feedback role in protocell size control.
  • Evolution of peptides and proteins provided mechanisms for improved volume and surface area homeostasis.

    • Conclusions:

    • Cell size regulation evolved from basic physical properties of lipid vesicles.
    • The development of primitive peptides and cytoskeletal elements was critical for stabilizing protocell size and shape.
    • Understanding these origins sheds light on the fundamental question of cell size set points.