Contrasting Two Representations of Emergence of Cellular Dynamics

Abstract

The organization of molecular and biological dynamics of a single cell is contrasted in terms of two general theories: 1. Memory Evolutive Systems (MES) which present a mathematical model, based on category theory, for evolving self-organized hierarchical systems and have been developed in a series of papers by Ehresmann and Vanbremeersch since 1987; and 2. the C8 hypothesis of Chandler (1991-92) which proposes specific methods of enumerating complexity. Both theories give account of the hierarchical conformation of the cell and of its growth relying on a sequence of events during which manifestations of biological strategies emerge from exchanges with the environment and internal assemblies or disassemblies of higher complex structures. They indicate how a balanced cellular flow is achieved through the interactions among a net of overlapping cyclic internal communications channels. If a conflict arises, the biological coherence is restored by accelerating, delaying or inhibiting some of the cycles, thus explaining the simultaneous plasticity and bounded stability of a cell. The potential melding of these two theories to create applications describing the organization of evolutionary systems is being explored.