Biology Forum Microbiology How are bacteria hypertrophic?

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    • #10032
      Bio-Hazard
      Participant

      I might not be able to ask a full question, but maybe one of you can associate possible scenarios.
      I had someone recently tell me that bacteria are hypertrophic. I didn’t understand this statement, because I didn’t understand in which kind of environment the person was referring to. Do any of you know how a bacteria could possibly be hypertrophic?

    • #85721
      canan5000
      Participant

      Hypertrophy usually refers to an enlargement of an organ or tissue that in non tumor related and does not consist of an increase in cell number either. So for a bacteria to become hypertrophic I can think of an a couple of scenarios

      1. An increase in intercellular water concentration (hypotonic).
      2. An increase in metabolitic products or waste and either no way of excreting or a very inefficient way of excreting.

      All the above ways though seem to me to lead in death of the bacteria over time, so for a bacteria to become hypertrophic does not seem to be a very good career move.

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