Modeling a Living Cell as a Physical System
Abstract
The organization and synchrony of a living cell suggests that a cooperative process may enable the cell to act as a unit for some functions. This is an old and unproven idea, although some findings seem to be best interpreted as cooperative behavior. Here we propose a model based on cooperative behavior originating from metabolism-behavior not immediately evident from the component molecules or biochemical sequences. The model follows from treating energy cycles as quantum oscillators that give rise to associated chemical waves and quanta much as lattice vibrations in solids give rise to phonons. Model parameters are determined from established data for a specific bacterium. We find average wavelengths for the quanta of chemical oscillations are 115 nm at 310 K agreeing closely with the diameter of the smallest free-living cells. We analyze experimental results where yeast cells experienced resonant changes in growth at specific microwave frequencies. These frequencies are accurately reproduced with the model and other critical frequencies are predicted.
- Publication:
-
APS Southeastern Section Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- November 2003
- Bibcode:
- 2003APS..SES.BB001F