Preprint / Version 1

What Multicellularity Has Brought to Organisms

##article.authors##

  • Nicita Raamkumar Polygence

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58445/rars.579

Keywords:

Multicellularity , evolution, diversification

Abstract

The evolution from unicellular to multicellular organisms marked a pivotal moment in the diversification of life which yielded more advanced immune systems, stress resistance, and enhanced biological functions. However, this transition also introduced vulnerabilities to new diseases, such as cancer. This review sheds light on the early origins of multicellular evolution and the intricate relationship between multicellularity, immune systems, and cancer, providing valuable perspectives for future research and therapeutic approaches. Understanding how these complex biological systems evolved and function offers insights into the basic biology of life, disease pathology, and potential therapeutic approaches to combat these undesirable consequences of multicellular life.

References

L. Bich, T. Pradeu, and J.-F. Moreau, “Understanding Multicellularity: The Functional Organization of the Intercellular Space,” Frontiers in Physiology, vol. 10, 2019, Accessed: Oct. 08, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2019.01170

J. J. Kuzdzal-Fick, L. Chen, and G. Balázsi, “Disadvantages and benefits of evolved unicellularity versus multicellularity in budding yeast,” Ecology and Evolution, vol. 9, no. 15, pp. 8509–8523, 2019, doi: 10.1002/ece3.5322.

T. C. Day et al., “Varied solutions to multicellularity: The biophysical and evolutionary consequences of diverse intercellular bonds,” Biophysics Reviews, vol. 3, no. 2, p. 021305, Jun. 2022, doi: 10.1063/5.0080845.

R. E. Michod, “Evolution of individuality during the transition from unicellular to multicellular life,” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 104, no. suppl_1, pp. 8613–8618, May 2007, doi: 10.1073/pnas.0701489104.

N. Ros-Rocher, A. Pérez-Posada, M. M. Leger, and I. Ruiz-Trillo, “The origin of animals: an ancestral reconstruction of the unicellular-to-multicellular transition,” Open Biology, vol. 11, no. 2, p. 200359, Feb. 2021, doi: 10.1098/rsob.200359.

K. J. Niklas and S. A. Newman, “The many roads to and from multicellularity,” Journal of Experimental Botany, vol. 71, no. 11, pp. 3247–3253, Jun. 2020, doi: 10.1093/jxb/erz547.

N. Danilova, “The evolution of immune mechanisms,” Journal of Experimental Zoology Part B: Molecular and Developmental Evolution, vol. 306B, no. 6, pp. 496–520, 2006, doi: 10.1002/jez.b.21102.

K. M. Yatim and F. G. Lakkis, “A Brief Journey through the Immune System,” Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, vol. 10, no. 7, p. 1274, Jul. 2015, doi: 10.2215/CJN.10031014.

A. K. Simon, G. A. Hollander, and A. McMichael, “Evolution of the immune system in humans from infancy to old age,” Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, vol. 282, no. 1821, p. 20143085, Dec. 2015, doi: 10.1098/rspb.2014.3085.

B. J. Coventry and M. Henneberg, “The Immune System and Responses to Cancer: Coordinated Evolution,” F1000Res, vol. 4, p. 552, Jan. 2021, doi: 10.12688/f1000research.6718.3.

A. S. Trigos, R. B. Pearson, A. T. Papenfuss, and D. L. Goode, “How the evolution of multicellularity set the stage for cancer,” Br J Cancer, vol. 118, no. 2, Art. no. 2, Jan. 2018, doi: 10.1038/bjc.2017.398.

Downloads

Posted

2023-10-14

Categories