title: Positive feedback in the living process: the role of ATP in ischaemic cell death.
abstract: Some essential functions of the organism--the continual replacement of its own component parts, the ability to make or to procure the things that it needs--are seen to be positive feedback effects. Because of its foundation of positive feedback, the process has an underlying tendency to become unstable. The borderline between life and death may be understood in terms of the opposition between destabilising (positive feedback) and stabilising (control) effects. A dynamic hypothesis of cell death in ischaemia is suggested, in which the critical change need involve no damage to enzymic machinery. It may be possible to revitalise dead cells by relatively simple measures.
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D005246:Feedback; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D006019:Glycolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D007700:Kinetics; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010100:Oxygen / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D005947:Glucose; D010100:Oxygen