Question

At 2:00 pm, you measured intracellular arginine at 100M. After addition of 200M of arginine to the cell, you, at 2:45 pm, measured intracellular arginine levels to be still at 100M. The most likely explanation is

Answer 1

The most likely explanation is that the cell is maintaining homeostasis by actively removing or compartmentalizing the additional arginine, ensuring constant intracellular arginine levels.

Step-by-step explanation:

The most likely explanation for the constant intracellular arginine levels after the addition of arginine to the cell is that the cell is maintaining homeostasis. Homeostasis is the ability of living organisms to regulate their internal environment to maintain stable conditions. In this case, the cell is likely actively removing the additional arginine to keep the concentration at 100M.

This process is mediated by various transporters and enzymes that control the uptake and breakdown of arginine. For example, the cell may have transporters that actively pump out the extra arginine or enzymes that rapidly metabolize it. These mechanisms ensure that the intracellular arginine levels remain constant despite the addition of more arginine.

It is also possible that the added 200M of arginine is sequestered or compartmentalized in a way that it doesn't immediately mix with the intracellular pool of arginine, resulting in the measured levels remaining at 100M.