Question

Explain why the large surface area to volume ratio is so much more important to prokaryotic adaptability than to a single eukaryotic cell in a multicellular organism?

Answer 1

Basically, prokaryotes are single-celled organisms i.e they are unicellular containing only one cell whereas eukaryotes are multicellular having many cells. Prokaryotes do not contain a nucleus and consist of a cell wall made of peptidoglycan (sugar and amino acids) and polysaccharide. Eukaryotes contain a nucleus and many cell organelles that perform specific functions.

Prokaryotes being single-celled are much smaller than eukaryotes. Eukaryotes being larger in size have evolved many structural adaptations within them that helps to perform cellular transport functions. The larger the cell, the more difficulty the cell faces to acquire the required materials that in turn support the other processes inside the cell. So, smaller size is beneficial for both prokaryotes and eukaryotes.

Larger the cell size, larger the volume inside and smaller is its surface area to volume ratio. Also, because of larger cell size, the plasma membrane does not have a sufficient surface area for the diffusion process and in turn, the cell becomes less efficient. There is a decrease in passive and active transportation. Because of this complex mechanism, eukaryotes have developed new adaptations within itself for the cell to work efficiently.

However, prokaryotes being smaller in size, this large surface area to volume ratio becomes beneficial. Transportation and diffusion become easy and therefore the cell can efficiently work.

In addition to this, larger surface area to volume ratio in prokaryotes makes them easy to transport the nutrients across the cell, ions and inorganic molecules can rapidly move from one part to another part of the cell, waste products produced can also quickly move out.

In this way, this large surface area to volume is extremely important in prokaryotes for the cell to work efficiently.