Cell size sensing-a one-dimensional solution for a three-dimensional problem?

ABSTRACT

Individual cell types have characteristic sizes, suggesting that size sensing mechanisms may coordinate transcription, translation, and metabolism with cell growth rates. Two types of size-sensing mechanisms have been proposed spatial sensing of the location or dimensions of a signal, subcellular structure or organelle; or titration-based sensing of the intracellular concentrations of key regulators. Here we propose that size sensing in animal cells combines both titration and spatial sensing elements in a dynamic mechanism whereby microtubule motor-dependent localization of RNA encoding importin ß1 and mTOR, coupled with regulated local protein synthesis, enable cytoskeleton length sensing for cell growth regulation.