Self-organizing living systems

Another very important feature of the stochastic equations considered here, when they are subjected to RMT analysis, is their resemblance to the general formalism arrived at in the thermodynamics of nonequilibrium processes this suggests an analogy between the effects of multiplicative noise and the continuous flux of energy which maintains the systems far from equilibrium. This is considered the main characteristic of self-organizing living systems and means that multiplicative stochastic models could take on a new and fundamentally important role. 

Zampieri, G. G., Jackie, H., and Luisi, P. L. (1986). Determination of the structural parameters of reverse micelles after uptake of proteins. J. Phys. Chem., 90, 1849. Zeleny, M. (1977). Self-organization of living systems formal model of autopoiesis. Int. J. Gen. Sysl, 4, 13-28. 

There are two fundamental conditions for life. First, the living entity must be able to self-replicate (a topic considered in Part III) second, the organism must be able to catalyze chemical reactions efficiently and selectively. The central importance of catalysis may surprise some beginning students of biochemistry, but it is easy to demonstrate. As described in Chapter 1, living systems make use of energy from the environment. Many of us, for example, consume substantial amounts of sucrose—common table sugar—as a kind of fuel, whether in the form of sweetened foods and drinks or as sugar itself. The conversion of sucrose to C02 and... 

Numerous biological supramolecular structures result from self-assembly and living systems offer the ultimate in self-organization [9.4-9.8]. They provide illus-... 

The ensemble of reactions is self-organized through the intermediary of general highly active substances. These processes may be accelerated and effectively implemented with the help of catalysts similar to processes, which take part in the living systems. 

Hierarchic design of assembled structures should be important for preparation of functional mesoscopic structures. Typical examples can be seen in biological systems where tissues of organisms in living systems consist of assemblies of cells with cell membranes composed of self-assembled lipids, proteins, saccharides, etc. Therefore, tissues and organisms can be regarded as (at least) two-level assemblies lipid to... 

Current research efforts have progressed to the point where the above processes have been investigated individually, so that the challenge now is to assemble them into an integrated system that exhibits the properties of the living state. This chapter focuses on the self-organizing properties of amphiphilic compounds that produce microscopic compartments necessary for the appearance of the first cellular forms of life. 

Stuart Kauffman of the Santa Fe Institute is a leading proponent of complexity theory. Simply put, it proposes that many features of living systems are the result of self-organization—the tendency of complex systems to arrange themselves in patterns—and not natural selection ... 

---