Multicellularity and the

Volvocine Series
 Limitation of Size
• Size poses a lot of problems
– Exchange of substances
– Diffusion (surface area,
concentration gradient and distance)
– SA to Volume ratio
– Maximum size limit of cell
– Larger than size limit = multicellular
 SA to Volume Ratio
• Inc in cell size leads to decrease in SA: V
– Life processes are affected
 Solutions to the SA:V Problem
• Avoidance
• Geometric solutions
– Inc SA; Dec V
• Increase rate of supply
– High conc. of nutrients; efficient transport
• Improved efficiency to reduced demand
– Specialization of cells (intercellularly and
intracellularly)
 Movement towards Multicellularity
• Occurred many times in eukaryotes
• Theories:
– Symbiotic Theory (e.g. endosymbiotic theory)
– Syncitial Theory (slime molds and ciliates)
– Colonial Theory (Haeckel, 1874)
• Green algae (Chlorophyta)>7000 species
• The Volvocine series
 Modes of reproduction
• Isogamy- involves reproduction of
morphologically the same gametes (+or -)
• Anisogamy- (heterogamy) gametes are of
different size; sperm is smaller than the
egg
• Oogamy-(specialized heterogamy) egg is
non-motile, sperm is flagellated
 Chlamydomonas
• Unicellular flagellate
• Isogamy
 Gonium
• Small colony
• Flat plane, mucilage
• No differentiation
• Isogamy
• Intercellular communication
 Pandorina
• Colony (8, 16, or 32 cells) in 1 layer
• Spherical
• Isogamy
• Anterior cells  larger eyespots
• Coordinate flagellar movement
• Colony dies when disrupted
 Eudorina
• 16 or 32 cells
• 16 cells – no specialization
• 32 – 4 for motility, the rest for reproduction
• Heterogamy – female gametes not
released
• Halves are more pronounced
 Pleodorina
• 32 to 128 cells
• Heterogamy – female gametes not released, in
some cases becoming truly non-motile
• Division of labor
– Anterior vegetative cells
– Larger posterior reproductive cells
 Volvox
• Spherical colonies (500-50000 cells)
• Hollow sphere – coenobium
• Cell differentiation: somatic/vegetative cells
and gonidia
• 2-50 scattered in the posterior 
reproductive
• Female reproductive cells  daughter
colonies
• Intercellular communication possible
 Evidence of Evolution
• Unicellular  colonial life
• Increase in # of cells in colonies
• Change in shape of colony
• Increase in interdependence among vegetative
cells
• Increase in division of labor: vegetative and
reproductive cells
• Isogamy  anisogamy  oogamy
• Fewer female gametes are produced
 Advantages of Multicellularity

• Increase in size of the

organism
• Permits cell specialization
• Increase in surface area to
volume ratio
Disadvantages of multicellularity
• Interdependence
• Complexity