Final answer:
When surface area is lost with disease, it can have various effects depending on the specific context. In the small intestine, the loss of surface area can impair nutrient absorption. In cells, a decrease in surface area can lead to cell division or death.
Step-by-step explanation:
When surface area is lost with disease, it can have various effects depending on the specific context.
In the context of the small intestine, the loss of surface area due to damaged villi can impair nutrient absorption. This means that nutrients from food cannot properly enter the bloodstream and be utilized by the body.
In the context of cells, when a cell increases in size, its surface area-to-volume ratio decreases. If a cell loses surface area and there is insufficient surface area to support its increasing volume, the cell will either divide or die.