Morphostasis: an evolving perspective

Area of Science:

• Evolutionary biology
• Immunology
• Cell biology

Background:

• Morphostasis, or tissue homeostasis, is crucial for multicellular life.
• Its evolutionary origins, from single-celled organisms to complex immune systems, remain incompletely understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and trace an evolutionary pathway for morphostasis.
• To identify the origins of key immunological components within this pathway.

Main Methods:

• Tracing the sequential incorporation of cellular and molecular components involved in homeostasis.
• Analyzing the proposed evolutionary link between gap junctions and complement attack sequences.

Main Results:

• Morphostasis evolution initiated with intracellular surveillance in single-celled organisms.
• Key components like heat shock proteins, apoptosis, cell adhesion molecules, phagocytes, and immune cells were sequentially incorporated.
• A novel hypothesis suggests the gap junction pathway is ancestral to the complement attack sequence.

Conclusions:

• The evolution of morphostasis provides a framework for understanding immunology and embryology.
• Further research into this evolutionary sequence can significantly advance knowledge in both fields.