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Micro World

How small is a Chlorella algae cell?

A Chlorella algae cell is about 5 µm across.

What is measured: single-celled green alga, diameter

Chlorella Algae Cell (5 µm) drawn to scale beside an E. coli bacterium (2 µm) and a red blood cell (7.5 µm)
Drawn to scale, from left to right: E. coli bacterium (2 µm), Chlorella Algae Cell (5 µm) and Red blood cell (7.5 µm).

Compare

How big is that, really?

  • A little smaller than a red blood cell
  • About 4 would fit across a cloud droplet
  • About 2.5× the length of an E. coli bacterium
  • About 50× as wide as a flu virus

Learn

Facts about Chlorella Algae Cell

Chlorella is a genus of single-celled green algae widely studied for its high protein content and photosynthetic efficiency.

Source: Encyclopedia Britannica: Chlorella; Algae Research textbook

Micro World

NameSizeCompared with Chlorella Algae Cell
Aspergillus niger Spore4 µm0.8×
Clostridium difficile4 µm0.8×
Cryptosporidium parvum Oocyst5 µmsame size
Chlorella Algae Cell5 µmthis page
Candida albicans5 µmsame size
Halobacterium salinarum5 µmsame size
Thermus aquaticus5 µmsame size
Human T Lymphocyte7 µm1.4×
Human B Lymphocyte7 µm1.4×
Cryptococcus neoformans8 µm1.6×

Test your sense of scale

Which is bigger: Chlorella Algae Cell or Aspergillus niger Spore?

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