Cellular perception and misperception: Internal models for decision-making shaped by evolutionary experience.

Area of Science:

• Cell Biology
• Evolutionary Biology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Cells adapt to dynamic environments with limited resources, requiring efficient signal processing.
• Sensory perception in animals is shaped by learning and expectation, utilizing internal cognitive models.
• This study proposes cells use evolutionarily shaped internal models for signal interpretation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose that cells employ internal models, analogous to cognitive models in animals, for interpreting environmental signals.
• To postulate that cells are susceptible to 'misperceptions' when encountering novel input patterns outside their evolutionary experience.
• To highlight the potential of mapping cellular misperceptions for dissecting regulatory networks and therapeutic applications.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual framework development based on existing research in cell biology and sensory perception.
• Analogical reasoning comparing cellular signal processing to animal sensory perception and cognitive models.
• Postulation of cellular 'misperceptions' as a consequence of evolutionary adaptation and limited information.

Main Results:

• Cells, like animals, may use internal models to interpret environmental signals.
• These internal models, shaped by evolution, can lead to misinterpretations or 'misperceptions' of novel stimuli.
• Cellular misperceptions offer a novel lens for understanding biological regulation.

Conclusions:

• Cellular signal processing shares principles with animal sensory perception, involving internal predictive models.
• Evolutionary history influences cellular interpretation, potentially causing errors with novel inputs.
• Investigating cellular misperceptions presents a promising strategy for understanding cellular function and developing therapeutic interventions.