ABSTRACTS
Royal Truman, Amit Singh, and Peter Borger
Cells comprise thousands of intricately designed analog computing units that execute complex biochemical processes. Precisely positioned sensors—implemented in DNA, RNA, proteins, lipids, and other biomolecules—respond to continuous signal gradients and generate localized microenvironments that recruit, assemble, and regulate molecular machinery essential for cellular function. These sensor–signal interactions initiate stepwise processes that distinguish an immediate physical recognition goal from a downstream major functional goal, enabling fine-tuned control of rates, timing, and outcomes. Cross-communication among concurrently operating processes supports coordinated adaptation, repair, recycling of obsolete components, and system-wide reproduction while maintaining uninterrupted operation. Cellular logic is implemented through physical interactions, adaptor molecules, and dynamically assembled complexes that realize flexible ‘if–then’ relationships. Unlike conventional digital computers, cells do not separate software from hardware; instead, both are inseparably embodied in adaptive molecular structures whose sensitivities can be modified during execution. This analog computing paradigm provides robustness, scalability, and efficiency that differ fundamentally from digital computation and from purely chemical descriptions. Viewing cells as integrated multiprocessing analog computing devices offers a unifying framework for understanding cellular regulation, autonomy, and biological information processing.