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| Multicellular Life: The Basics | |
All
matter is affected by the forces of nature and the laws that govern them
(physics/chemistry)
The
basic unit for life is the cell.
A
multicellular organism (MCO) consists of more than one cell.
Since
your body has more than thirty trillion cells, you are a MCO.
The
Intracellular Space
In
the body, the intracellular space consists of everything inside the cell
membrane of the cells.
This
includes the cytoplasm, mostly made up of water (2/3rds of the total
in the body) with precise concentrations of chemicals in solution, the nucleus,
with its DNA, RNAs, genes and regulatory networks (GRNs), tens of thousands to possibly
millions of different types of proteins, mitochondria, ribosomes, the endoplasmic
reticulum, Golgi apparatus, lysosomes, and the interconnected biomolecules of
the cytoskeleton. This is pretty straightforward.
The
Extracellular Space
In
the body, the extracellular space consists of everything outside the cell
membrane of the cells.
This
includes the fluid between the cells and in the circulation (1/3rd of the total water in the body), that in suspension contains various cells, and
in solution, precise concentrations of chemicals, along with interconnected
supporting biomolecules. Let me explain further.
The
tissues and organs of the body are made up of many different types of cells,
but the spaces between them (the interstitial space) are part of the
extracellular space.
The
respiratory system, consisting of the nose, mouth, upper and lower airways and
alveoli are lined with, and supported by, various kinds of cells, but the passageways
that contain mucus and through which air travels in and out of the lungs, are part
of the extracellular space.
The
gastrointestinal system that runs from the mouth to the anus is a muscular
hollow tube lined with, and supported by, different types of cells, that helps it
digest and absorb water and nutrients into the blood, but its lumen and the
fluid within it, are part of the extracellular space.
The
four chambers of the heart consist of cardiac muscle cells, valves and electrical
connecting tissue, but their cavities, and the blood within them, are part of
the extracellular space.
The
various types of blood vessels in the human body are lined with, and supported
by, different kinds of cells, but the channels, and the blood within them, are
part of the extracellular space.
The
kidneys and the urinary tract are lined with, and supported by, various types
of cells, but the canals through which urine flows, are part of the
extracellular space.
The
connective tissue (including cartilage and bone) which provides structural and
functional support for the organ systems, traversed by nerves and muscles, are all
part of the extracellular space.
Following
the Rules of MCO (Human) Life
For
the body’s cells to stay alive and work properly they have to maintain control
of their intracellular space—its water and chemical content and its various
biomolecular structures.
For
the body, as a whole, to stay alive and thrive it must maintain control of its
extracellular space—its water with its cellular and chemical content, and its
various biomolecular structures.
The
total water and chemical content of the intracellular and extracellular spaces
are very different. This difference must be maintained for proper tissue and
organ function and survival.
The
body must keep the vital chemical and physiological parameters of its
extracellular space (e.g. blood oxygen/sugar/pressure/temperature), within
tight tolerances, else, life is impossible.
The
Hard Problems
The
forces of nature (e.g. physical, mechanical, kinetic, electrical, molecular),
and the laws that govern them, affect the whole body, from the molecular, to
the cellular, to the organ system level.
All
of them must therefore be taken into account and properly dealt with for human
(MCO) life.
The
Innovative Solutions
To
accomplish this, the cells of the body (MCO) must do more than just live for
themselves.
The
body consists of over two hundred different types of cells which together perform
many different functions, all of which in combination work by mostly affecting
the extracellular space.
For
example, the lung cells bring into the body and put oxygen into the blood. And
the intestinal cells bring into the body, and put glucose into the blood. Both
of these are needed for the energy the heart needs to pump oxygen and glucose
to the brain so you can sit, read and think about this.
But
notice, each system must have all the right parts, with the right
specifications and assembly, doing their respective functions at all the right
times and they are all dependent on each other.
It
is these coherent interdependent systems that provide the innovations for the
body to combat and/or use the forces of nature, and the laws that govern them,
to its advantage, to survive.
Evolutionary
“Explanations”
Questions
Onward!
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