Ask A Scientist© Biology Archive

name Elvis
status student
grade 9-12
location N/A

Question - Is amoeba immortal?

Amoeba divides itself into two which means that the cell content is not
dead. Will tis be forever?
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There is no question of life or death to cell contents. 'Life' as such
refers to the 'functioning' of the organism as the whole.
As amoeba divides the cell contents are equally distributed to the two
daughter cells. The new cells grow synthesizing new substances in their
cytoplasm. In the first generation, the daughter cells receive half the cell
content from the mother cell. In the second generation the 'grand daughter'
cells would receive only one fouth of the original grand mother cell. For
every division the content is divided into half and this goes on for ever.

P. Kumarasammy
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