There is an opinion that the largest living cell is the ostrich egg. An African ostrich egg can reach a height of more than 17 cm and weigh about 1.5 kg, but this does not make the ostrich egg the largest cell known in nature. For example, a giant squid nerve cell can reach 12 meters in length. In the plant world, the cell of Caulerpa (seaweed) has many nuclei, and it can grow up to 3 m in length. If we nevertheless consider the egg of the largest bird, then, most likely, the egg of Epyornis (an elephant bird reaching a height of 5 m) would be one of the largest. Unfortunately, this species is considered extinct (destroyed by humans in the 17th-18th centuries), although eggs of this legendary bird are still found.
Eggs laid by Epiornis would be 35 cm in height and have a volume of 8 -9 l! The largest living cell: which of the known ones is considered the largest on our planet?
The largest cell
The largest known cell in the world belongs to the baobab tree (Adansonia digitata). These huge trees, found in Africa and other tropical regions, have cells that can reach impressive sizes. Inside the baobab trunk there can be cells whose volume exceeds several cubic meters.
Mycelial cells
Cells of the fungus Armillaria ostoyae, known as the “clone fungus,” also deserve attention. This fungus forms huge mycelial networks underground, amounting to hundreds of hectares. One of these mycelial cells was discovered in Oregon, USA, and has an estimated age of more than 2 thousand years.
Nerve cells
Octopuses have surprisingly large neurons in their nerve cells that help them respond to their environment and coordinate their movements. Neuronal cells in giant squid and other molluscs such as giant squid are also an interesting research area due to their size and functional features.
Plant cells
In the plant world there is a cell that can regenerate into whole plants. This is called totipotency and is characteristic of meristem cells in plants. For example, in ferns, meristematic root cells are capable of developing into new plants, making them particularly unique in the plant kingdom. Today, the unicellular alga Acetabularia has attracted the attention of scientists, which can reach enormous sizes: the stem reaches 6 cm, and the cap up to 2 cm!
Jellyfish Cells
Cells of the jellyfish known as Turandrot (Turritopsis dohrnii) have the amazing ability to undergo biological “degeneration.” This jellyfish is capable of reverting to a younger stage state after reaching sexual maturity, making it essentially immortal.
Multicellular life
Everyone remembers that highly organized organisms consist of tissues, and those, in turn, of cells. Biology is a constantly evolving science. And who knows, perhaps in the coming years we will discover new species and new large living cells. We'll wait and see.