DOCSLIB.ORG

Biological Autonomy A

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Biological Autonomy A Chapman University Chapman University Digital Commons Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Science and Technology Faculty Articles and Faculty Articles and Research Research 2012 Biological Autonomy A. Grandpierre Hungarian Academy of Science Menas Kafatos Chapman University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/scs_articles Part of the Biology Commons, and the Philosophy of Mind Commons Recommended Citation Grandpierre, A., Kafatos, M. (2012) Biological Autonomy, Philosophy Study, Volume 2, Number 9, pp. 631-649. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Science and Technology Faculty Articles and Research at Chapman University Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research by an authorized administrator of Chapman University Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Biological Autonomy Comments This article was originally published in Philosophy Study, volume 2, issue 9, in year. Copyright David Publishing This article is available at Chapman University Digital Commons: http://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/scs_articles/153 Philosophy Study, ISSN 2159-5313 September 2012, Vol. 2, No. 9, 631-649 D DAVID PUBLISHING Biological Autonomy Attila Grandpierre Menas Kafatos Chapman University Chapman University We argue that genuine biological autonomy, or described at human level as free will, requires taking into account quantum vacuum processes in the context of biological teleology. One faces at least three basic problems of genuine biological autonomy: (1) if biological autonomy is not physical, where does it come from? (2) Is there a room for biological causes? And (3) how to obtain a workable model of biological teleology? It is shown here that the solution of all these three problems is related to the quantum vacuum. We present a short review of how this basic aspect of the fundamentals of quantum theory, although it had not been addressed for nearly 100 years, actually it was suggested by Bohr, Heisenberg, and others. Realizing that the quantum mechanical measurement problem associated with the “collapse” of the wave function is related, in the Copenhagen Interpretation of quantum mechanics, to a process between self-consciousness and the external physical environment, we are extending the issue for an explanation of the different processes occurring between living organisms and their internal environment. Definitions of genuine biological autonomy, biological aim, and biological spontaneity are presented. We propose to improve the popular two-stage model of decisions with a biological model suitable to obtain a deeper look at the nature of the mind-body problem. In the newly emerging picture biological autonomy emerges as a new, fundamental and inevitable element of the scientific worldview. Keywords: spontaneity, teleology, biological aim, vacuum processes, quantum indeterminacy, consciousness 1. Introduction Today’s dominant paradigm holds that everything is physical (Stoljar 2009). If this entails physical determinism, it involves that a genuine biological autonomy, by which we mean the ability of living organisms to decide about their acts themselves in a way that is not determined completely by physical or biological laws and previous conditions (this is our definition of genuine biological autonomy), “ab ovo” cannot exist. At the same time, we point out that the main reason to physicalize biological autonomy is that it has so far proven impossible to uncover a workable model of teleological causation (Skewes and Hooker 2009). In this paper, we attempt to make a first step towards developing such a model. We are motivated by the consideration that in the practical life of living organisms numerous tasks arise Acknowledgements: One of us (AG) wishes to express his gratitude to his friend Jean Drew for the exciting discussions, suggestions and providing comments related to the English of the manuscript. We are grateful for the referees’ useful comments that triggered to write the Appendix and led also to important improvements in the paper. Many thanks for the useful comments received from Sónia do Vale. Attila Grandpierre, Ph.D., Visiting Professor, Center of Excellence, Schmid College of Science, Chapman University, USA; Konkoly Observatory of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Hungary; main research fields: Theoretical Biology, Foundations of Quantum Physics, Astrobiology, Solar Physics, Philosophy of Science. Menas Kafatos, Ph.D., Fletcher Jones Endowed Professor of Computational Physics, Center of Excellence, Schmid College of Science, Chapman University, USA; main research fields: Cosmology and General Relativity, Foundations of Quantum Physics, Computational Physics, Neuroscience, Quantum Physics. 632 BIOLOGICAL AUTONOMY that cannot be solved on the basis of evolution and physical laws alone. For example, when a fish is thrown back into the river, nature’s command is short: survive! This command does not inform the fish in terms of physical details and spatial coordinates what to do, such as to turn left or right. Organisms commonly have alternative means of performing the same function (Beckner 1969), therefore, they must decide between biologically equivalent alternatives, the differences of which would not depend on evolution. Since biological functions are defined here as processes serving biological aims, ultimately survival and flourish, the fact that the same functions can be performed by alternative means and from highly different initial states within widely different conditions means a biological equifinality, the presence of a common aim beyond different physical processes. Moreover, living organisms interact with a complex environment that is indefinitely rich in unexpected changes. Therefore, organisms must continuously solve newly encountered tasks in their daily lives. Organisms must have certain intelligence since they can solve problems that no specific individual in the evolutionary history of the species has solved before (M. Heisenberg 2009). Accordingly, numerical estimations indicate that a significant part of the thermodynamic potential of cells is utilized to generate novel information (Grandpierre 2008). Ross W. Ashby’s pioneering work (1960) showed that adaptive behavior, corresponding to the origin of intelligence, should be understood dynamically through the homeostatic maintenance of essential variables under viability constraints through environmental interactions. Our point here is that the development of intelligence and adaptive plasticity are mere capabilities; their realization requires an ingredient that is based on the organism’s autonomous decisions, which we label as “biological autonomy.” We cannot understand the nature of genuine biological autonomy, namely, that it is not determined completely by physics but caused by biological autonomy, without considering where such biological causes can come from (this is the “problem of biological causes”). When looking after possible answers, we can keep in our mind that nature is one unified system, while physics and biology are only human conceptualizations that we project onto nature, expressing two basic aspects of nature that is in reality a unified system. Therefore, physics and biology (as an autonomous science) must have a common natural basis. In general, the development of science has two basic directions; it proceeds towards a deeper and wider picture of nature. Regarding depth, today’s science, physics, recognized that “the vacuum holds the key to a full understanding of the forces of nature” (Davies 1985, 104; 2005, S40; Milonni 1994, xiii). The theoretical structure of quantum field theory as specified by mathematics is dictated by the basic ontological commitment to a violently fluctuating vacuum (Cao 2010, 208). Regarding breadth, physics nowadays develops towards biology (e.g., F. Kafatos and Eisner 2004) and with increasing depth, the breadth of science increases. Therefore, one can expect that the vacuum must play a fundamental role in biology. The development of science in the last decades underpins this argument. A popular idea in modern physics is that all the material of the Universe has been created from quantum vacuum fluctuations by the physical laws (e.g., Tryon 1973; Hawking 1988, 142; Davies 1992, 73). Cosmic evolution, the idea that the universe and its constituent parts are constantly evolving, has become widely accepted only in the last 50 years (Dick 2009). In the last decades, it became increasingly clear that biological (and cultural) evolution has been an important part of cosmic evolution on Earth, and perhaps on many other planets (Davies 2009a; Dick and Lupisella 2009). Indeed, Paul Davies (2009b, 383) presents arguments showing that the long-held prevailing view claiming that living systems had no particular significance in the cosmic scheme of things is “profoundly wrong.” Biological organisms are products of a very basic organizational principle, replication with variation plus selection, a principle that applies anywhere in the cosmos. Moreover, the ability of living organisms to BIOLOGICAL AUTONOMY 633 construct a computational representation of the universe makes them capable of manipulating their environment on a large scale. Therefore, “life ... and mind is a key part of the evolution of the universe” (Davies 2009b, 383). This means that the problem of biological causes led us to the quantum
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Quantum Biology: an Update and Perspective
    quantum reports Review Quantum Biology: An Update and Perspective Youngchan Kim 1,2,3 , Federico Bertagna 1,4, Edeline M. D’Souza 1,2, Derren J. Heyes 5 , Linus O. Johannissen 5 , Eveliny T. Nery 1,2 , Antonio Pantelias 1,2 , Alejandro Sanchez-Pedreño Jimenez 1,2 , Louie Slocombe 1,6 , Michael G. Spencer 1,3 , Jim Al-Khalili 1,6 , Gregory S. Engel 7 , Sam Hay 5 , Suzanne M. Hingley-Wilson 2, Kamalan Jeevaratnam 4, Alex R. Jones 8 , Daniel R. Kattnig 9 , Rebecca Lewis 4 , Marco Sacchi 10 , Nigel S. Scrutton 5 , S. Ravi P. Silva 3 and Johnjoe McFadden 1,2,* 1 Leverhulme Quantum Biology Doctoral Training Centre, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK; [email protected] (Y.K.); [email protected] (F.B.); e.d’[email protected] (E.M.D.); [email protected] (E.T.N.); [email protected] (A.P.); [email protected] (A.S.-P.J.); [email protected] (L.S.); [email protected] (M.G.S.); [email protected] (J.A.-K.) 2 Department of Microbial and Cellular Sciences, School of Bioscience and Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK; [email protected] 3 Advanced Technology Institute, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK; [email protected] 4 School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK; [email protected] (K.J.); [email protected] (R.L.) 5 Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, Department of Chemistry, The University of Manchester,
    [Show full text]
  • Physics, Biology and the Origin of Life: the Physicians' View Geoffrey Goodman Phd1 and M
    IMAJ • VOL 13 • DeceMber 2011 PERSPECTIVE Physics, Biology and the Origin of Life: The Physicians' View Geoffrey Goodman PhD1 and M. Eric Gershwin MD2 1Kfar Vradim, Israel 2Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of California at Davis School of Medicine, Davis, CA, USA environment and were very much concerned with the insepa- ABSTRACT: Physicians have a great interest in discussions of life and its rable issue of 'what' is life and 'how' it relates to inanimate origin, including life's persistence through successive cycles matter. Physicians of those eras were more concerned about of self-replication under extreme climatic and man-made religion and the role of man and God than about physical sci- trials and tribulations. We review here the fundamental ence. One wonders what they would think today, with physical processes that, contrary to human intuition, life may be science dominated and puzzled by the apparent incompatibility seen heuristically as an ab initio, fundamental process between two fundamental concepts: general relativity (gravi- at the interface between the complementary forces of tational) theory that views matter-energy as an expression of gravitation and quantum mechanics. Analogies can predict a time-space continuum and quantum theory that considers applications of quantum mechanics to human physiology matter-energy in terms of discrete quantities (quanta) and in addition to that already being applied, in particular to waves and their counterintuitively weird behavior. The long- aspects of brain activity and pathology. This potential will also extend eventually to, for example, autoimmunity, held desire to unify these two fundamental laws of physics in genetic selection and aging.
    [Show full text]
  • Evolution, Politics and Law
    Valparaiso University Law Review Volume 38 Number 4 Summer 2004 pp.1129-1248 Summer 2004 Evolution, Politics and Law Bailey Kuklin Follow this and additional works at: https://scholar.valpo.edu/vulr Part of the Law Commons Recommended Citation Bailey Kuklin, Evolution, Politics and Law, 38 Val. U. L. Rev. 1129 (2004). Available at: https://scholar.valpo.edu/vulr/vol38/iss4/1 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Valparaiso University Law School at ValpoScholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in Valparaiso University Law Review by an authorized administrator of ValpoScholar. For more information, please contact a ValpoScholar staff member at [email protected]. Kuklin: Evolution, Politics and Law VALPARAISO UNIVERSITY LAW REVIEW VOLUME 38 SUMMER 2004 NUMBER 4 Article EVOLUTION, POLITICS AND LAW Bailey Kuklin* I. Introduction ............................................... 1129 II. Evolutionary Theory ................................. 1134 III. The Normative Implications of Biological Dispositions ......................... 1140 A . Fact and Value .................................... 1141 B. Biological Determinism ..................... 1163 C. Future Fitness ..................................... 1183 D. Cultural N orm s .................................. 1188 IV. The Politics of Sociobiology ..................... 1196 A. Political Orientations ......................... 1205 B. Political Tactics ................................... 1232 V . C onclusion ................................................. 1248 I. INTRODUCTION
    [Show full text]
  • Neuroreceptor Activation by Vibration-Assisted Tunneling
    OPEN Neuroreceptor Activation by SUBJECT AREAS: Vibration-Assisted Tunneling BIOPHYSICAL CHEMISTRY Ross D. Hoehn1, David Nichols2, Hartmut Neven3 & Sabre Kais4,5,6 MECHANISM OF ACTION 1Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA, 2Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA,3 Google, Venice, CA 90291, USA,4 Department of Received 5 20 October 2014 Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA, Departments of Physics, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA,6 Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute, Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar. Accepted 20 March 2015 G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) constitute a large family of receptor proteins that sense molecular Published signals on the exterior of a cell and activate signal transduction pathways within the cell. Modeling how an 24 April 2015 agonist activates such a receptor is fundamental for an understanding of a wide variety of physiological processes and it is of tremendous value for pharmacology and drug design. Inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy (IETS) has been proposed as a model for the mechanism by which olfactory GPCRs are activated by a bound agonist. We apply this hyothesis to GPCRs within the mammalian nervous system Correspondence and using quantum chemical modeling. We found that non-endogenous agonists of the serotonin receptor share requests for materials a particular IET spectral aspect both amongst each other and with the serotonin molecule: a peak whose should be addressed to intensity scales with the known agonist potencies. We propose an experiential validation of this model by S.K. (kais@purdue. utilizing lysergic acid dimethylamide (DAM-57), an ergot derivative, and its deuterated isotopologues; we also provide theoretical predictions for comparison to experiment.
    [Show full text]
  • Biological Waste Water Treatment
    Wastewater Management 18. SECONDARY TREATMENT Secondary treatment of the wastewater could be achieved by chemical unit processes such as chemical oxidation, coagulation-flocculation and sedimentation, chemical precipitation, etc. or by employing biological processes (aerobic or anaerobic) where bacteria are used as a catalyst for removal of pollutant. For removal of organic matter from the wastewater, biological treatment processes are commonly used all over the world. Hence, for the treatment of wastewater like sewage and many of the agro-based industries and food processing industrial wastewaters the secondary treatment will invariably consist of a biological reactor either in single stage or in multi stage as per the requirements to meet the discharge norms. 18.1 Biological Treatment The objective of the biological treatment of wastewater is to remove organic matter from the wastewater which is present in soluble and colloidal form or to remove nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorous from the wastewater. The microorganisms (principally bacteria) are used to convert the colloidal and dissolved carbonaceous organic matter into various gases and into cell tissue. Cell tissue having high specific gravity than water can be removed in settling tank. Hence, complete treatment of the wastewater will not be achieved unless the cell tissues are removed. Biological removal of degradable organics involves a sequence of steps including mass transfer, adsorption, absorption and biochemical enzymatic reactions. Stabilization of organic substances by microorganisms in a natural aquatic environment or in a controlled environment of biological treatment systems is accomplished by two distinct metabolic processes: respiration and synthesis, also called as catabolism and anabolism, respectively.
    [Show full text]
  • Quantum Microbiology
    Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. 13: 43-50. OnlineQuantum journal at http://www.cimb.orgMicrobiology 43 Quantum Microbiology J. T. Trevors1* and L. Masson2* big bang. Currently, one of the signifcant unsolved problems in modern physics is how to merge the two into a unifying 1School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, theory. Since quantum mechanics describes the physical 50 Stone Rd., East, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada world, and living organisms are physical entities, it is rational 2Biotechnology Research Institute, National Research and logical to examine the role of quantum mechanics in Council of Canada, 6100 Royalmount Ave., Montreal, the matter and energy of living microorganisms, especially Quebec H4P 2R2, Canada their origin about 4 billion years ago. To do so requires an understanding of quantum processes at the atomic scale and smaller where electrons, for example, do not collide Abstract with the atomic nucleus but defy electromagnetism and orbit During his famous 1943 lecture series at Trinity College at both an undefned speed and path around the nucleus. Dublin, the reknown physicist Erwin Schrödinger discussed One distinguishing characteristic of quantum mechanics the failure and challenges of interpreting life by classical is the Complementarity Principle (or wave-particle duality) physics alone and that a new approach, rooted in Quantum developed by Niels Bohr indicating that a particle can principles, must be involved. Quantum events are simply a possess multiple contradictory properties. level of organization below the molecular level. This includes A classic example of complementarity is Thomas the atomic and subatomic makeup of matter in microbial Young's famous light interference, and later on the double- metabolism and structures, as well as the organic, genetic slit, experiment showing that light or other quantum information codes of DNA and RNA.
    [Show full text]
  • Plants Can Grow Quickly Or Ward Off Hungry Insects, but Not Both Plant's Ability to Identify, Block Invading Bacteria Examined
    Plants Can Grow Quickly or Ward Off Hungry Insects, but Not Both Mar.29, 2010 in Botany, Nature, Science and Technology Leave a Comment Plant-eating insects such as this silhouetted caterpillar have played a pivotal role in the evolution of plants. (Credit: Photo by Ellen Woods, Cornell University) ScienceDaily (Mar. 27, 2010) — There's a war occurring each day in our backyards — plant versus plant-eating insect versus insect-eating insect. Research by UC Irvine's Kailen Mooney suggests the outcome [...] Plant’s Ability to Identify, Block Invading Bacteria Examined Mar.22, 2010 in Botany, Nature, Science and Technology Leave a Comment This is a flower of the Arabidopsis thaliana plant. (Credit: (USDA-Agriculture Research Service photo by Peggy Greb).) ScienceDaily (Mar. 21, 2010) — Understanding how plants defend themselves from bacterial infections may help researchers understand how people and other animals could be better protected from such pathogens. That's the idea behind a study to observe a [...] How Plants Put Down Roots: Geneticists Research Organ Development in the Plant Embryo Mar.17, 2010 in Botany, Science and Technology Leave a Comment One week old seed of the thale cress with embryo. (Credit: Martin Bayer / Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology) ScienceDaily (Mar. 16, 2010) — In the beginning is the fertilized egg cell. Following numerous cell divisions, it then develops into a complex organism with different organs and tissues. The largely unexplained process whereby the [...] Can a Single Layer of Cells Control a Leaf’s Size? Mar.15, 2010 in Botany, Science and Technology Leave a Comment ScienceDaily (Mar.
    [Show full text]
  • Bishop Scott Boys' School
    BISHOP SCOTT BOYS’ SCHOOL (Affiliated to CBSE, New Delhi) Affiliation No.: 330726, School Campus: Chainpur, Jaganpura, By-Pass, Patna 804453. Phone Number: 7061717782, 9798903550. , Web: www.bishopscottboysschool.com Email: [email protected] STUDY COURSE MATERIAL BIOLOGY SESSION-2020-21 CLASS-XII TOPIC: REPRODUCTION IN ORAGANISM DAY-1 TEACHING MATERIAL :- INTRODUCTION Life Span: Each and every organism is capable to live only for a limited period of time. Lifespan refers to the life expectancy or longevity of an individual. The period from birth to the natural death of an organism known as its life span. Reproduction: Reproduction is defined as a biological process in which an organism gives rise to young ones (offspring) similar to itself. The offspring grow mature and in turn produce new offspring. Thus there is a cycle of birth, growth and death. The main purpose of reproduction are to: continue and preserve the specie pass species genetic identity keep the evolutionary chain going Page 1 of 21 Types of reproduction: Based on whether there is participation of one organism or two in the process of reproduction, it is of two types. Asexual reproduction: When offspring is produced by a single parent with or without the involvement of gamete formation the reproduction is asexual. Sexual reproduction: When two parents (opposite sex) participate in the reproductive process and also involved fusion of male and female gametes it is called sexual reproduction. ASSIGNMENT Q.1. Why is reproduction essential for organisms? Q.2. Which is better mode of reproduction: sexual or asexual? Why? MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS : - Q.1. Which physiological process is necessary for birth, growth, death, production of offspring and for continuity of the species? (a) Digestion (b) Transportation (c) Reproduction (d) Nutrition Q.2.
    [Show full text]
  • Energy and Epigenetics: Quantum Cell Theory, Life As a Collective Phenomena
    Energy and Epigenetics: Quantum Cell Theory, Life as a Collective Phenomena 1. How is life brought to life? 2. What is a SQUID? 3. Does physics direct biology? 4. What is the field effect? 5. What is quantum cell theory and how does it work? This will probably be the most important blog in the entire Quilt. It is how I see the three fundamental laws of nature integrating and coordinating the physiologic function animating life. It is how all life works as a collective phenomena under the electromagnetic force. It is loaded with science, and it may be a hard read for some, but ask questions. If you do not, you might never get to optimal. This blog contains my holy grail in how I figured out how to get me healthy. I remember the day I wrote it in 2007 like it was yesterday. I would strongly recommend clicking and reading every hyperlink in this blog. It will help you understand things more fully. In this blog, you will see how light, water and the electromagnetic field form a Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) on the surface of your brain that allows you to be human. SQUID‘S are important in the mammalian neocortex because they are able to switch signals from one neural circuit to another, at extremely high speeds, while storing massive amounts of information, all while using very low power dissipation. We are part of an electric universe. This all can be done in the tightest of quarters. This works at nanoscopic levels on semiconductor chips in your laptop and in the subarachnoid space of your brain.
    [Show full text]
  • Computational Models for the Study of Sexual Selection Dynamics
    UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DO RIO GRANDE DO SUL INSTITUTO DE INFORMÁTICA CURSO DE BACHARELADO EM CIÊNCIA DA COMPUTAÇÃO MARCELO DE OLIVEIRA ROSA PRATES Computational models for the study of sexual selection dynamics Monograph presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Computer Science Prof. Dr. Luis Lamb Advisor Porto Alegre, July 28th, 2014 CIP – CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION Marcelo de Oliveira Rosa Prates, Computational models for the study of sexual selection dy- namics / Marcelo de Oliveira Rosa Prates. – Porto Alegre: Graduação em Ciência da Computação da UFRGS, 2014. 87 f.: il. Monograph – Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul. Curso de Bacharelado em Ciência da Computação, Porto Alegre, BR–RS, 2014. Advisor: Luis Lamb. 1. Keyword 1. 2. Keyword 2. 3. Keyword 3. 4. Keyword 4. 5. Keyword 5. I. Lamb, Luis. II. Título. UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DO RIO GRANDE DO SUL Reitor: Prof. Carlos Alexandre Netto Vice-Reitor: Prof. Rui Vicente Oppermann Pró-Reitor de Graduação: Prof. Sérgio Roberto Kieling Franco Diretor do Instituto de Informática: Prof. Luís da Cunha Lamb Coordenador do CIC: Prof. Raul Fernando Weber Bibliotecário-chefe do Instituto de Informática: Beatriz Regina Bastos Haro Draft 1.0 June 19, 2015 morprates @inf.ufrgs.br http://inf.ufrgs.br/∼morprates “Because the history of evolution is that life escapes all barriers. Life breaks free. Life expands to new territories. Painfully, perhaps even dangerously. But life finds a way.” - Michael Crichton, Jurassic Park ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I owe a great deal to my teacher and supervisor, Luís Lamb, who not only provided help and made it possible for this monograph to take its actual form, but also persuaded me to venture into research and gave me freedom to work on projects of my own interest in all these years as a scientific initiation scholarship holder.
    [Show full text]
  • Introduction to Cell Biology (Lecture Iconography)
    Dr. Mircea Leabu - Introduction to cell biology (lecture iconography) Introduction to Cell Biology “All human beings by nature stretch themselves out toward knowing” Aristotle, METAPHYSICS (translated by Sachs J), 2nd edition (Green Lion Press, Santa Fe 2002) What’s cell biology • Etymology: βίος – life; λόγος – word, concept, speaking, opinion, reason ↓ speaking about cell life • Part of biology studying biological processes under the cell context (how the cell is structured, and how it acts) • Biological process – a chain of biochemical reactions occurring in a well defined sequence • Descriptive part (analytical cell biology) – morphological organization of the cell (cell organelles and other morphological elements) – microscopic approach (LM, EM) • Functional part (integrative cell biology) – how cell morphological elements act (by themselves and by cross- talking in-between) to assure cell survival and their doing the best 1 Dr. Mircea Leabu - Introduction to cell biology (lecture iconography) Cell definition The cell is the structural and functional elementary unit of all living organisms, conserving the features of the organism, having the ability of self-control, self-regulation, and self-reproduction, being the result of a long time of evolution A little bit of history • The word cell comes from the Latin cellula, a small room, and was chosen by Robert Hooke, in 1665, when he compared the cork cells he saw to the small rooms monks lived in • The cell theory, first developed in 1839 by Matthias Jakob Schleiden and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Hooke Theodor Schwann, completed by Rudolf Virchow, in 1858 - all organisms are composed of one or more cells - all cells come from preexisting cells (omnis cellula e cellula) - vital functions of an organism occur within cells - all cells contain the hereditary information necessary for regulating cell functions and for transmitting information to the next generation of cells.
    [Show full text]
  • LECTURE NOTES : CELL BIOLOGY Author(S): Dr
    LECTURE NOTES: CELL BIOLOGY (BIOMEDICAL LABORATORY SCIENCE STUDENTS) By Dr. Callixte Yadufashije Senior lecturer INES Ruhengeri ( Ruhengeri Institute Of Higher Education) January, 2018 2018 Ideal International E – Publication Pvt. Ltd. www.isca.co.in 427, Palhar Nagar, RAPTC, VIP-Road, Indore-452005 (MP) INDIA Phone: +91-731-2616100, Mobile: +91-80570-83382 E-mail: [email protected] , Website: www.isca.co.in Title: LECTURE NOTES : CELL BIOLOGY Author(s): Dr. Callixte Yadufashije Edition: First Volume: I © Copyright Reserved 2018 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, reordering or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. ISBN: 978-93-86675-40-8 Ideal International E- Publication www.isca.co.in iii Preface Cell biology also known as cytology. It deals with cells and its organelles. Inside this document you find curious of yours about cells and how they act like independent livings within bodies of living organisms. Preparation of this lecture notes has took much effort as needs high understanding in science of biology. Cells are important parts of life and without them life can be impossible. Understanding sciences like cytology, histology, genetics, biochemistry, molecular biology, are essential sciences to know are linked to knowledge of cells. During preparation of this lecture notes, content of module of cell biology taught in biomedical sciences courses in INES-Ruhengeri at undergraduate level has been used. A part from this content different source has been used to study each topic with much attention.
    [Show full text]