Yeast cell (Baker's yeast)
6 µm
Long axis of the egg-shaped cell
A single cell of the yeast that raises bread and brews beer. About 6 µm long.
Published
How big is that?
6 µm is 78% of a red blood cell.
Yeast cell is the 4th smallest of the 32 Tiny Worlds objects, and the 4th smallest of the 172 objects across all five SizeItUp games.
Size comparison
To scale, smallest to largest: Yeast cell in orange beside the Tiny Worlds objects nearest in size, in teal.
| Object | Size | vs Yeast cell |
|---|---|---|
| PlateletA tiny cell fragment that plugs cuts and starts blood clotting. | 3 µm across | 50% of the size |
| Cryptosporidium (Oocyst)The tough egg-like stage of a waterborne parasite, with four sporozoites inside. | 4.8 µm across | 80% of the size |
| Yeast cell (Baker's yeast) | 6 µm long | – |
| Red blood cellA human red blood cell: a disc dimpled in the middle. | 7.7 µm across | 1.3× bigger |
| Neutrophil (White blood cell)The most common white blood cell, with its lobed nucleus. | 10.5 µm across | 1.7× bigger |
In other units
| Micrometres | 6 |
|---|---|
| Millimetres | 0.006 |
| Metres | 0.000006 |
How it's measured
Long axis of the egg-shaped cell. Diploid cells (Sherman, University of Rochester).
Sources
- urmc.rochester.edu: Sherman, Getting Started with Yeast: diploid cells are 5 x 6 µm ellipsoids.
- europepmc.org (supporting): microPublication Biology: 6 μm in diploids.
Checked against the source on .
Could you have guessed it by eye?
Yeast cell is one of the objects in Tiny Worlds, a daily size comparison game: you stretch a shape to the size you think is right beside one you know.