Cell Language Theory, The: Connecting Mind And Matter

104 The Cell Language Theory: Connecting Mind and Matter

b2861 The Cell Language Theory: Connecting Mind and Matter “6x9”

The term “semiosis” is here defined as any physicochemical processes

that are mediated by signs such as communication, computation, and

DNA-directed construction, which was referred to as the C-triad in [192].

One consequence of combining Statements (3.24) and (3.25) is the

corollary that the cell provides the physical basis and mechanisms for

both living processes and semiosis. A theoretical model of the cell, capa-

ble of achieving both these functions, is suggested to be the Bhopalator

[15, 16]. One of the basic principles underlying the Bhopalator is that of

information–energy complementarity as manifested in two ways — as

conformons (conformational strains of biopolymers harboring mechani-

cal energy in sequence-specific sites; see Section 3.4) and IDSs (see

Section 3.2.1).

3.2.19 The Triadic Structures of the Living Cell

Dissipative structures are distinct from covalent and conformational

(also called noncovalent) structures in that they are far-reaching and

global in contrast to covalent and noncovalent structures whose effects

are localized within one (in the case of covalent structures) or a set of

contiguous molecules in physical contact (in the case of noncovalent

structures). The “far-reaching” effects of dissipative structures inside the

cell can be mediated by electric field (in the case of action potentials),

mechanical tensions (in the case of the cytoskeletons based on a network

of interconnected microfilaments, intermediate filaments, and microtu-

bules, all driven by energies resulting from ATP or GTP hydrolysis), and/

or chemical concentration waves [26, 27] (see Table 3.7). Ingber and his

colleagues have obtained direct experimental evidence showing that local

perturbations of a living cell under mechanical tensions can be propa-

gated throughout the cell, the phenomenon which they referred to as

“tensegrity” or tensional integrity [193]. Thus, Ingber’s tensegrity can be

viewed as an example of IDSs.

It is suggested here that dissipative structures are essential (along

with covalent and noncovalent ones) for cell reasoning and computing

because their “far-reaching” effects provide mechanisms to coordinate

many physicochemical processes occurring individual locations inside the

cell, just as the “far-reaching” axons allow the physicochemical processes

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