The organism as bioreactor. Interpretation of the reduction law of metabolism in terms of heterogeneous catalysis and fractal structure.
Abstract: Organisms and bioreactors are open, dissipative systems in steady state. They are functionally equivalent with respect to turnover and kinetics, and structurally analogous with respect to fractal organization and self-similar scaling. As heterogeneous catalytic systems both are governed by interaction of mass transport and reaction. The structural equivalent to turbulence in the reactor, yielding high efficiency, is the fractal folding and branching of the transport systems of the organism. Dimensionally and in terms of fractals, organisms and reactors are therefore area-volume hybrids. The physiological consequence of this is the reduction law of metabolism. Introducing limits into allometric functions describing scale-up of similar organisms yields probability density distributions of their realization.
Publication Date: 1985-11-21 PubMed ID: 4079447DOI: 10.1016/s0022-5193(85)80218-6Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research article discusses the shared characteristics between organisms and bioreactors when it comes to metabolism, kinetics, structure, and function. It uses the concepts of heterogeneous catalysis and fractal structure to understand how these systems work and conduct energy turnover.
Functional Equivalence and Structural Analogy
- The paper presents organisms and bioreactors as open, dissipative systems that are in a constant state of steady operation.
- Their functional equivalence is explained through their turnover and kinetics. The article states that both these systems share similar mannerisms as to how they handle and process materials or inputs.
- The structural similarity is established on the basis of fractal organization and self-similar scaling. Fractal organization refers to repetitive patterns while self-similar scaling means that the structure remains same irrespective of the scale on which it is viewed.
Heterogeneous Catalytic Systems
- The research asserts that both organisms and bioreactors behave as heterogeneous catalytic systems. This means that their operation revolves around varied types of reactions and mass transport.
- The equivalent of turbulence in a reactor, which results in high efficiency, is suggested to be the fractal folding of an organism’s transportation system.
Area-Volume Hybrids
- The paper introduces the concept of organisms and reactors being area-volume hybrids. This is understood in terms of dimension and fractals, indicating that these systems encompass characteristics of both area and volume.
- The physiological implication of being area-volume hybrids is understood as the “reduction law of metabolism”. Although not explained thoroughly, it might refer to a manner of metabolic scaling, arising due to structural and functional characteristics.
Scale-up and Probability Density Distributions
- By integrating limits into allometric functions describing similar organism’s scale-up, the research is able to derive probability density distributions.
- This allows for an understanding of how these organisms might actualize or materialize, given their allometric properties and the limitations imposed.
Cite This Article
APA
Sernetz M, Gelléri B, Hofmann J.
(1985).
The organism as bioreactor. Interpretation of the reduction law of metabolism in terms of heterogeneous catalysis and fractal structure.
J Theor Biol, 117(2), 209-230.
https://doi.org/10.1016/s0022-5193(85)80218-6 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Basal Metabolism
- Biological Transport
- Body Weight
- Diffusion
- Enzymes
- Horses
- Humans
- Kidney / blood supply
- Kinetics
- Metabolism
- Oxygen Consumption
- Species Specificity
Citations
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- Callier V, Nijhout HF. Supply-side constraints are insufficient to explain the ontogenetic scaling of metabolic rate in the tobacco Hornworm, Manduca sexta.. PLoS One 2012;7(9):e45455.
- Sharma V. Deterministic chaos and fractal complexity in the dynamics of cardiovascular behavior: perspectives on a new frontier.. Open Cardiovasc Med J 2009 Sep 10;3:110-23.
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