Biopolymers and cell. 2003; 19 (2): 113 - 132

Our «Shagreen leather» is our problem. And we have to solve it

V. A. Kordyum

One of the main problems to be solved by modern biology is disclosing a complex of mechanisms determining absolute reliability of both the restriction of any organism (including human) lifetime, and the existence of practically immortal life (if taken as a continuous chain of unconditionally mortal generations). A planned series of four publications is aimed at the formulation of basic ideas to develop the problem conception. The essentials allowing to regard a cell as a typical (though very complex and perfect) molecular machine, and an organism — as a self-organizing system of such molecular machines, are analyzed in the first publication.