ABSTRACT
Every living organism is a self-regulating system. This means that a definite structure exists which consists of interlocking and interacting units capable of carrying out necessary processes and of maintaining these processes within a specific normal range. In addition to maintaining the activities of the system, the organism must build and repair these units. Evolution has produced dynamic systems of great complexity. Even the “simplest” organisms must complete an astronomical number of chemical reactions merely to maintain their structural integrity. The metabolic process, for example, which converts materials absorbed from the environment into energy and necessary cellular structures requires several thousand enzymes for its successful operation. The absorption and synthesis of basic material includes the uptake of simple chemicals which are combined into more complex molecules, as well as the uptake of complex molecules which must be broken down to be rebuilt according to a specific architecture. The absorption of these chemicals must be a highly selective process, and their resynthesis must proceed according to a determined sequence.
