Cellular Learning, Decision-Making, and Rejuvenation

Fundamental principles of information processing, learning, and decision-makingDecision-making are shared among diverse species of prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Current definitions of consciousness and intelligence are overly anthropocentric. Yet, consciousness and intelligence could be ubiquitous and attributable to all unicellulars and cells of multicellular organisms. The first primitive intelligence structures apparently originated in prokaryotes and have likely undergone further development upon transition to unicellular eukaryotes. Most probably that memory, learning, and decision-makingDecision-making capabilities, as essential and genetically fixed traits, have also been retained in the cells of multicellular organisms. A cell can store experience-gained information and use it in a goal-oriented manner. The ability to remember, learn and make logically correct prognosis and decisions pinpoints the existence of cellular intelligence. Although explicit whereabouts and mode of action remain unknown, it is not excluded that there are ‘molecular brain(s)’ and subordinate systems. In addition to its well-established functions, DNA offers the potential of being that molecular computer, a structure enabling cellular decision-makingDecision-making. Moreover, the existence of biological life for billions of years leaves little doubt that a cell has all necessary resources for rejuvenationRejuvenation. There should be a molecular RejuvenationRejuvenation Center and Fountain of Youthfulness in every cell, alas, both closed most of the time and in most of the cells. However, induced pluripotency is an excellent example of showing that the cellular institutions of rejuvenationRejuvenation could be activated by external signals. It also supports the paradigm that a cell has an inherent rejuvenationRejuvenation program with a thermodynamically advantageous landscapes of realization, allowing a differentiated cell to find the way back to pluripotency in confusing environments. Whether these structures could be identified and used to learn a cell to be ever-young and share this trait with others remains to be elucidated.