4 ms·

Nitpick maybe, but I don't think oocytes are the largest cells, it pretty much has to be some sort of neuron. A sensory neuron for eg. someplace in the foot wil

by limbero 4mo ago

Nitpick maybe, but I don't think oocytes are the largest cells, it pretty much has to be some sort of neuron. A sensory neuron for eg. someplace in the foot will be almost as long as the person is tall, and even if the neuron is extremely thin, it's gotta beat the oocyte for volume.

hatthew 4mo ago
Some back of the envelope math says this is true. A conservative estimate for the size of an alpha motor neuron axon is 10μm diameter and 1m long, which already puts it over an order of magnitude larger than the 4,000,000µm³ oocyte quoted in the article.
- NoMoreNicksLeft 4mo ago
  This almost feels like cheating. Why not count hair follicles with hair attached then?
  - mbauman 4mo ago
    That's very different; hair doesn't perform membrane transport along its length. The surface of an axon is critical to the cell's functioning. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axolemma https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axolemma
  - hatthew 4mo ago
    In addition to what mbauman said, hair follicles and the hair itself are not single-cell. I can't immediately find the composition and average cell size, but even a long and thick strand of hair is less than 2 orders of magnitude larger than the largest neurons. I doubt any individual hair cell is very large.
    - gus_massa 4mo ago
      I agree, except the Squid Gian Axon https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squid_giant_axon https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squid_giant_axon that can "1mm diameter and almost 1m long" https://www.understandinganimalresearch.org.uk/using-animals-in-scientific-research/animal-research-species/squid https://www.understandinganimalresearch.org.uk/using-animals...
- deleted 4mo ago
  [deleted]
CrazyStat 4mo ago
Giraffes neurons can be up to 15 feet long. Blue whales are speculated to have neurons up to 100 feet long, though they've never been directly observed (dissected).
- IAmBroom 4mo ago
  They've been catastrophically dissected at least once, which we know due to the detailed field notes made by Paul Linnman, and subsequent citations by Dave Barry. It's possible some of them were observed, given the likelihood of striking someone's glasses or windshield.
Kaliboy 4mo ago
But neurons are electrical no? I suppose maybe that's why they're not in the comparison. Or does that work with diffusion too?

by limbero 4mo ago

hatthew 4mo ago

Some back of the envelope math says this is true. A conservative estimate for the size of an alpha motor neuron axon is 10μm diameter and 1m long, which already puts it over an order of magnitude larger than the 4,000,000µm³ oocyte quoted in the article.

NoMoreNicksLeft 4mo ago
This almost feels like cheating. Why not count hair follicles with hair attached then?
- mbauman 4mo ago
  That's very different; hair doesn't perform membrane transport along its length. The surface of an axon is critical to the cell's functioning. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axolemma https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axolemma
- hatthew 4mo ago
  In addition to what mbauman said, hair follicles and the hair itself are not single-cell. I can't immediately find the composition and average cell size, but even a long and thick strand of hair is less than 2 orders of magnitude larger than the largest neurons. I doubt any individual hair cell is very large.
  - gus_massa 4mo ago
    I agree, except the Squid Gian Axon https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squid_giant_axon https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squid_giant_axon that can "1mm diameter and almost 1m long" https://www.understandinganimalresearch.org.uk/using-animals-in-scientific-research/animal-research-species/squid https://www.understandinganimalresearch.org.uk/using-animals...
deleted 4mo ago
[deleted]

CrazyStat 4mo ago

Giraffes neurons can be up to 15 feet long. Blue whales are speculated to have neurons up to 100 feet long, though they've never been directly observed (dissected).

IAmBroom 4mo ago
They've been catastrophically dissected at least once, which we know due to the detailed field notes made by Paul Linnman, and subsequent citations by Dave Barry. It's possible some of them were observed, given the likelihood of striking someone's glasses or windshield.

Kaliboy 4mo ago

But neurons are electrical no? I suppose maybe that's why they're not in the comparison. Or does that work with diffusion too?