Sense: Detecting internal and external signals and relaying them through the nervous and endocrine systems.
Exchange: Moving nutrients, gases, and signals across boundaries -- in and out of the cell and body.
Transform: Converting one form of energy or matter into another the cell can use.
Build: Constructing the proteins, hormones, and structures the body needs.
Maintain: Defending, repairing, and holding steady state (immune function, structural integrity).
Adapt: Changing gene expression and structure in response to signals -- epigenetics and plasticity.
The bridge
Cell and Mind are one system
The brain is made of cells, so the same six jobs run at both levels. Sleep, light, minerals, and nutrition move the brain exactly as they move the cell. That's the honest, non-mystical version of "Cell and Mind are one system."
Explore the Systems