Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 19, 2026
08:31
Kinematic Analysis of Cell Division and Expansion: Quantifying the Cellular Basis of Growth and Sampling Developmental Zones in Zea mays Leaves
Published on: December 2, 2016
Environmental control of cell size at division
Elizabeth Davie1, Janni Petersen
1University of Manchester, C.4255 Michael Smith Building, Faculty of Life Sciences, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK.
Current Opinion in Cell Biology
|September 6, 2012
Summary
Cells adjust size via Target of rapamycin (TOR) signaling to balance growth and division. This ensures optimal nuclear:cytoplasmic ratios for cellular function, explaining why cells grow larger in favorable nutrient conditions.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Molecular Biology
- Nutrient Sensing Pathways
Background:
- Cell growth and cell cycle progression are tightly linked, allowing cells to adapt proliferation to nutrient availability.
- The Target of rapamycin (TOR) signaling pathway is a key regulator coordinating cell growth with cell cycle progression in response to nutrients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the underlying reasons for the tight control of cell size.
- To explore how nutrient availability influences cell size and nuclear:cytoplasmic (N/C) ratios.
- To understand the physiological implications of altered N/C ratios on cellular function.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of Target of rapamycin Complex 1 (TORC1) activity under varying nutrient conditions.
- Measurement of cell size and nuclear:cytoplasmic (N/C) ratios.
- Assessment of cellular physiology in relation to nutrient availability and cell size.
Main Results:
- Active TORC1 promotes cell growth, delaying mitosis and division under favorable nutrients, leading to increased cell size.
- Decreased TORC1 activity under limited nutrients reduces cell size.
- Nutrient availability alters N/C ratios, potentially impacting optimal cellular physiology.
Conclusions:
- Cells increase size in favorable conditions to maintain optimal N/C ratios, ensuring cellular function.
- The tight control of cell size is crucial for maintaining cellular physiology despite nutrient fluctuations.
- TORC1 signaling is central to coordinating cell growth, cell division, and N/C ratio maintenance.
Related Concept Videos
02:36Cells Coordinate Growth and Proliferation
Cell size is a significant factor impacting cellular design, function, and fitness. There exists some internal coordination by which cells double their masses before division, thus, achieving homeostasis. Coordination between cell growth and proliferation depends on the checkpoints in between cell cycle phases. Loss of coordination or failure in the checkpoint mechanism can drive the cell to uncontrolled growth and loss of cellular function. Like dividing cells that coordinate cellular growth,...
02:36Cells Coordinate Growth and Proliferation
Cell size is a significant factor impacting cellular design, function, and fitness. There exists some internal coordination by which cells double their masses before division, thus, achieving homeostasis. Coordination between cell growth and proliferation depends on the checkpoints in between cell cycle phases. Loss of coordination or failure in the checkpoint mechanism can drive the cell to uncontrolled growth and loss of cellular function. Like dividing cells that coordinate cellular growth,...
01:27Molecular Factors Affecting Cell Division
Several external and internal factors influence the initiation and inhibition of cell division. For instance, the death of nearby cells or the release of human growth hormone (hGH) promotes cell division. In contrast, lack of hGH or crowding of cells can inhibit cell division.
Several proteins function as internal regulators to ensure each cell cycle stage is completed faithfully before proceeding to the next. Regulator molecules may act directly or influence the activity or production of other...
Several proteins function as internal regulators to ensure each cell cycle stage is completed faithfully before proceeding to the next. Regulator molecules may act directly or influence the activity or production of other...
02:13Determining the Plane of Cell Division
Positioning the cell division plane is a critical step during development and cell differentiation, particularly during mitosis when the plane is essential for determining the size of the two daughter cells. The cell division plane is perpendicular to the plane of chromosome segregation, but different types of organisms have different cell division mechanisms to suit their morphology and function.
Animal cells
In animal cells, the cleavage furrow forms along the plane of cell division starting...
Animal cells
In animal cells, the cleavage furrow forms along the plane of cell division starting...
02:13Determining the Plane of Cell Division
Positioning the cell division plane is a critical step during development and cell differentiation, particularly during mitosis when the plane is essential for determining the size of the two daughter cells. The cell division plane is perpendicular to the plane of chromosome segregation, but different types of organisms have different cell division mechanisms to suit their morphology and function.
Animal cells
In animal cells, the cleavage furrow forms along the plane of cell division starting...
Animal cells
In animal cells, the cleavage furrow forms along the plane of cell division starting...
01:28The Cell Cycle Control System
The cell cycle regulation directs how a cell proceeds from one phase to the next and begins mitosis. The cell cycle control system includes intracellular regulatory molecules and external triggers. They provide "stop" or "advance" signals and operate at specific cell cycle stages termed checkpoints to ensure that a particular process is completed before the cell advances to the next phase.
Cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks) are the primary cell cycle regulators and function at the cell...
Cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks) are the primary cell cycle regulators and function at the cell...