When considering the increasing complexity of atoms, molecules, cells and tissue

Question

When considering the increasing complexity of atoms, molecules, cells and tissues, you may notice that each step has characteristics that were absent in the previous level. These characteristics, called emergent properties, demonstrate that the whole organism is more than the sum of its individual parts.

Consider the heart, an organ with a variety of tissues. In what way is the heart more than the sum of the tissues it comprises?

Explanation / Answer

Emergent properties represent one of the most significant challenges for the engineering of complex systems. They can be thought of as unexpected behaviors that stem from interaction between the components of an application and their environment. A broader example of emergent properties in biology is the combination of individual atoms to form molecules such as polypeptide chains, which in turn fold and refold to form proteins. These proteins, assuming their functional status from their spatial conformation, interact together to achieve higher biological functions and eventually create - organelles, cells, tissues, organs, organ systems, organisms. Emergent property is like this: Cell ---> Tissue ----> Organ ---> Organ System ---> Animal It's the property where living things become more and more complex as it goes from cellular level (exp humans are made of cells) to organ system (exp humans are made of organ system composed of millions of cells). It's based on the concept that "the whole is greater than the composition of its parts." Exp: heart is made of cells only, but if you just have heart cells (sum of its parts) it won't do anything but if the whole heart is there, it will perform the function of pumping blood (the whole is greater). To put it in a more simple manner, we are more than the sum of our parts. If you took a human apart and laid all the pieces out on a table, you'd still have all the parts to make a fully functioning human being. However, none of it would be functioning because the parts are not interacting with each other. However, as these parts interact with each other, certain properties emerge as a result of this interaction. The same analogy can be used for an engine. You can have all the parts to build it, but without them interacting with each other, they're just pieces. As you start putting the engine together with the transmission, the emergent property would be the ability to have multiple gears. As the axle is connected, now you can have multiple gears along with the emergent property of motion through wheels. Of course these are simple examples, but the same applies to biology. As the cells get more complex, and make tissues, emergent properties result. As tissues are built into organs, certain functions emerge. Organ systems are created, and so forth. Hope that helped.

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