Question

why it is necessary to have the amount of endocytosis and exocytosis occuring in a cell be approximately equal?

Answer 1

Each cell has a finite cell surface area and volume. Too much increase or decrease in these values can lead to cell shrinkage or cell hydrolysis which can cause cell death. Endocytosis is the process by which cells intake materials inside, while exocytosis is the process by which materials are expelled out of the cell. If endocytosis and exocytosis are not approximately same, the cell surface area and volume are liable to change leading to cell death. Hence, it is imperetive for them to be approximately equal.