MICROBIAL GROWTH CURVE PART 3: THE LAG PHASE

In a typical sigmoid growth curve, the first phase is called the lag phase. It has often been accepted by most that the lag phase is the period where there is no net increase in the number of cells. It is the stage where the cells are adapting to the new environment and are busy trying to synthesise new array of enzymes needed.
How true are these ‘allegations’?
As we have said earlier, the microbial growth curve is the graphical representation of the microbial population and not of a single cell. We are talking about millons and millions of cells. If we assume this statement that it is a period of no increase in cell numbers and it is just a period of enzymes induction then it is difficult to accept the idea.
Don’t tell me in the millions of cells there are no cells reproducing?
Even in a drop of culture or microbial suspension, containing millions of cells, each of the cell has different status in terms of its mass transfers exposure. Each cell are in different physiological states from young nd active to old and dormant cells.
Perhaps it might be logical for synchronous cultures to have same starting point in growth or lag phase. Even then synchronocity just last few generations.
We do know however that the length of the lag period is connected to various conditions from short for adapted cultures to long for cultures in a new environment. However that does not mean being in lag phase does not result in non reproduction of new cells. Maybe only the rates might not be significant.


Type rest of the post here.