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    8 views10 pages

    04 12 Ingens

    Uploaded by

    Colectivo Rizoma
    Aaa

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
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    of 10
    MICROSCOPE Vol 52:3/4, 135-144 2008) Are Cells Ingenious? Brian J. Ford” Gonville and Caius College, University of Cambridge KEYWORDS Molecular, biology. microscopy, cells INTRODUCTION ‘These ites hoe emerged frown the ‘Evening with Brian tals in Chicago in 1998 andl 2003, an waore recent in the opering lecture for the new program of Cambridge Society for the Application of Research at Churchill College, Cambridge University, UK, on October T1, 2004, The topic evill be ex- fended ino talk scheduled for June 9, 2005, at the Linnean Society, Burlington House, London, UK, end July, 2005, at the Universtyof Surrey, Guildford, UK. ABSTRACT. Modern models of life are based on molecular biol- ogy. This is a micromechanical view of nature, and —to scientists ~ it {5 almost the ultimate in reductionism. ‘Microscopists, however, look differently at life. We are aware how cells behave, respond, and react. And Id like to show how our holistic sense of familiarity with the Living cell can fault some of the most widespread. ‘views of the modem world of biology. Rather than looking at the living cell ax a puzzle on the point of solution, T shall show it as an enduring mystery stilt beyond the reach of human understanding, and ca- pable— within its own frame of reference ~ of surpris- ing ingenuity. MODELING THE CELL: TRIUMPHS AND BLIND. SPOTS Current concepts model life through molecular biology: I'm a great admirer of the astonishing progress that this crucial branch of science has made. Yet in unraveling some of the key pathways we have lost ‘sight of the intricate and self-regulating mechanisms of living cells, Molectilar biologists see life as a set of coded reactions. But we know its unfathomable com- plexity its ability ta respond and self-renew. This pa- per will show the astonishing: abilities that lie within the compass af the single cell. ‘The structure af the DNA molecule may be simple to understand, but the reality of what it does is far more complicated than we have been told. In conse- uence, practical results that benefit us all are proving elusive. Molecular biologists have failed to address some ‘of the basics. For instance, nobody has finally cracked photosynthesis. There isa curiously named compound, rubippy, and this human-made substance is the

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