The fastest cell is Spirostomum, a single-celled organism. This remarkable creature can shrink to just a quarter of its size in just five milliseconds, which is over 50 times faster than the blink of an eye.
While Spirostomum is the fastest in terms of shrinking, the fastest cell in terms of growth rate is the bacterium Vibrio natriegens. It can duplicate in less than 10 minutes, making it the fastest known growing organism.
Other cells that exhibit notable speed include E. coli, which travels at a mean speed of 30 μm/s, and various cells that move quickly within complex environments due to their intrinsic capacity to move and their interpretation of external cues.
It's important to note that the "fastest cell" depends on the context. While some cells are fastest in terms of movement, others are fastest in terms of growth, and some are fastest in terms of shrinking.
