Information forgotten or overlooked: Fundamental flaws in the conventionalview of the living cell

Old ideas often persist long after sound evidence dictates otherwise. I att empt to report one such case in the life sciences, by pointing out what are perceived to be fundamental flaws or questions in conventional wisdom. It is my experience that much evidence not in support of the well accepted mem brane pump view of the living cell has been overlooked, forgotten or even i gnored. In presenting this idea, the evolution Of Our knowledge from the es tablishment of cellular and protoplasmic theory to the emergence of solutio n theory is presented. The universal hypothesis based on physical chemical principles is presented, followed by the advent of the membrane-situated en ergy-requiring pump. The experimental demonstration of an inadequate energy supply for the first pump is discussed, followed by a review of new eviden ce that calls to question the use of dilute solution theory in describing a dequately cellular function. Finally, roles for cellular water are suggeste d to explain the cellular exclusion of sodium and to serve as a barometer f or the healthy state. Within the context of a metaphor, I attempt to qualit atively embrace the physical findings. It is concluded that the mobility of water molecules may be considered to change with the progression of normal tissue to a state of disease. These changes in the mobility of water molec ules are "fingerprinted" by changes in the molecular motion of the solids.