15.

3 Constraints in Biology
All expressed phenotypes resulting from the selection process must satisfy the governing constraints. Therefore,
clear identification and statement of constraints to define
ranges of allowable phenotypic states provides a fundamental approach to understanding biological systems that is
consistent with our understanding of the way in
which organisms operate and evolve.
Different types of constraints limit cellular functions and several authors have discussed general constraints in
biology [84,93,139,179,261]. Here we start this discussion
by dividing constraints into four categories [344]: (1) fundamental physico-chemical,
(2) spatial or topological, (3) condition-dependent environmental, and (4) regulatory,
or self-imposed constraints.