MetabolismSet of chemical reactions in organismsSimplified view of cellular metabolismMetabolism (, from Greek μεταβολή (metabolē) 'change') refers to the set of life-sustaining chemical reactions that occur within living organisms.
Membrane lipidMembrane lipids are a group of compounds (structurally similar to fats and oils) which form the lipid bilayer of the cell membrane. The three major classes of membrane lipids are phospholipids, glycolipids, and cholesterol. Lipids are amphiphilic: they have one end that is soluble in water ('polar') and an ending that is soluble in fat ('nonpolar').Abiogenesis
Pre-cellThe terms pre-cell (precell),proto-cell (protocell), etc. are frequently used to designate hypothetical ancestral entities precursing complete cells. The meanings of these terms vary with the different hypotheses for the early evolution of life and, accordingly, with the corresponding publications. There are different hypotheses attempting to explain the origin of the three domains of life (Woese et al. 1990) from a last universal common ancestor (LUCA).
EvolutionEvolution is the change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations. It happens when individuals in a population vary in their genetic characteristics and in the numbers of their surviving offspring. Mutation introduces new genetic variation, and processes such as genetic drift, gene flow, and natural selection result in some genetic variants becoming more or less common over time.
RibozymeRibozymes (ribonucleic acid enzymes) are RNA molecules that have the ability to catalyze specific biochemical reactions, including RNA splicing in gene expression, similar to the action of proteinenzymes.
Biomolecular condensateIn biochemistry, biomolecular condensates are a class of membrane-less organelles and organelle subdomains, which carry out specialized functions within the cell. Unlike many organelles, biomolecular condensate composition is not controlled by a bounding membrane. Instead, condensates can form and maintain organization through a range of different processes.
DarwinismDarwinism is a term used to describe a theory of biological evolution developed by the English naturalist Charles Darwin (1809–1882) and his contemporaries. The theory states that all species of organisms arise and develop through the natural selection of small, inherited variations that increase the individual's ability to compete, survive, and reproduce.Artificial cellAn artificial cell, synthetic cell or minimal cell is an engineered particle that mimics one or many functions of a biological cell. Often, artificial cells are biological or polymeric membranes which enclose biologically active materials. As such, liposomes, polymersomes, nanoparticles, microcapsules and a number of other particles can qualify as artificial cells.
In vitroIn vitro (meaning in glass, or in the glass) studies are performed with cells or biological molecules outside their normal biological context. Colloquially called "test-tube experiments", these studies in biology and its subdisciplines are traditionally done in labware such as test tubes, flasks, Petri dishes, and microtiter plates.
Self-organizationSelf-organization, also called spontaneous order in the social sciences, is a process where some form of overall order arises from local interactions between parts of an initially disordered system. The process can be spontaneous when sufficient energy is available, not needing control by any external agent. It is often triggered by seemingly random fluctuations, amplified by positive feedback.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.