Growth and reproduction of cells Transitional Reasoning Practice

Questions

1. 1.

   As spherical cells increase in diameter during the growth phase, their internal metabolic demands scale proportionally with cytoplasmic volume while transport capacity remains limited by plasma membrane surface area. A researcher observes that when non-dividing cells enlarge past a critical size threshold, nutrient absorption per unit of cell volume drops sharply and metabolic waste begins to accumulate internally. Based on these geometric and physiological constraints, which statement best explains why cell reproduction through division is necessary to sustain functional efficiency?

   • A) Cell division reduces the total genomic DNA content so that transcription rates can match the rapid rate of protein synthesis.
   • B) Cell division converts active transport proteins into passive diffusion channels to accelerate waste clearance across membranes.
   • C) Cell division restores a high surface area-to-volume ratio, ensuring adequate membrane exchange relative to the metabolic volume.
   • D) Cell division permanently alters cell membrane permeability so that larger metabolic molecules can exit through simple diffusion.

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