Economic Principles in Cell Biology

How can a cell maintain itself as a living being? Living cells, shaped by billions of years of evolution, have developed many ways to adapt to their environment in order to thrive and to maximize their chance for survival. Cell metabolism is shaped by the rules of physics and chemistry, which enforce boundaries on what cells can achieve. But within these boundaries, we can still ask how cells should allocate their resources. By looking at cells through this economic lens, we may uncover some general design principles that characterize life. In our textbook, to which everyone is invited to contribute, we give an overview of established approaches and topics in cellular economics, from descriptions of simple metabolic systems to cell growth, variability, and dynamic behavior. For more information, please see our website https://principlescellphysiology.org/book-economic-principles/