Final answer:
Human cells can survive pressures up to about 1.5 MPa, which is the turgor pressure in well-watered plants. However, this pressure is significantly lower than that found in the deepest ocean trenches. Consequently, without special adaptations, human cells cannot withstand the extreme pressures present in such environments.
Step-by-step explanation:
Human cells, and indeed many forms of life, can survive extreme pressures. In the deep ocean trenches, where pressures exceed 1000 times atmospheric pressure, certain species of animals can still thrive. The pressure potential in biological cells can often be expressed as megapascals (MPa). The pressure inside cells is known as turgor pressure and is generated by a positive pressure potential. In plants, pressure potentials are typically around 0.6-0.8 MPa, but can reach up to 1.5 MPa. This is much less than the pressures experienced at the bottom of the ocean, suggesting that human cells could not survive such extreme conditions without special adaptations.
For reference, 1.5 MPa is approximately 210 pounds per square inch, which is significantly higher than the pressure in automobile tires, usually kept at 30-34 psi. When we compare these pressures to those found in the deepest parts of the ocean, it's evident that the pressure tolerance of human cells would be far exceeded in such environments without special mechanisms for survival.