Chapter 1, Problem 1.2PS

QUANTITATIVE Cell Sizes. To appreciate the differences in cell size illustrated in Figure 1-3a, consider these specific examples. Escherichia coli, a typical bacterial cell, is cylindrical in shape, with a diameter of about 1 μm and a length of about 2 μm. As a typical animal cell, consider a human liver cell, which is roughly spherical and has a diameter of about 20 μm. For a typical plant cell, consider the columnar palisade cells located just beneath the upper surface of many plant leaves. These cells are cylindrical, with a diameter of about 20 μm and a length of about 35 μm.

(a) Calculate the approximate volume of each of these three cell types in cubic micrometers. (Recall that V = πr²h for a cylinder and that V = 4πpr³/3 for a sphere.) Use three significant figures for these calculations.

(b) Approximately how many bacterial cells would fit in the internal volume of a human liver cell?

(c) Approximately how many liver cells would fit inside a palisade cell?