Cells: but what do they do?
A cell is the smallest unit of life. Life doesn’t exist below the cellular level.
But what exactly does a cell do?
In short, everything that the complete organism can do. It can ingest food, produce energy, remove waste, divide and multiply, move, defend itself, communicate and cooperate with others.
Attributes that you would agree are like yours and mine.
It is for this reason that we are called multicellular organisms. A collective of cells.
So, why did cells decide to collect and conquer? Unsurprisingly, for the same reasons we form tribes, societies, and countries.
We do better together.
Life started with cells being simple. As they clumped together, they could specialize. One cell could say: You cook, I’ll handle the dishes.
This understanding led to specialization. What you and I call immune cells, skin, heart, brain, and so on.
But specialization came with a price. A single cell, responsible for everything, was autonomous.
In contrast, specialized cells became interdependent.
Your heart cell relies on oxygen from your lungs. Your brain cell cannot function without glucose from your digestive system.
This is not just biology—it’s a lesson in how life thrives.
Alone, we can survive. Together, we can flourish.
To flourish, we need to communicate. Cells developed chemical signals, akin to blogs and articles, to coordinate their actions. Hormones, neurotransmitters, and cytokines became their language.
Like us, they needed to align their goals, collaborate, and problem-solve. Without communication, chaos would ensue.
Collaboration, communication, and specialization enabled complexity and growth. Yet, interdependence means vulnerability. If one organ fails, the whole system suffers.
This is why interdependance, communication and balance is critical.
Not just in your body but in life.
We only have to look at the fires in Los Angeles to get perspective. A fire does not distinguish between you and me, rich or poor, famous or not.
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