Arielle Davidoff and Ashley Davidoff Copyright 2017
Look deep into nature and then you will understand everything better – Einstein
As Adam and Eve entered the Garden of Eden they heard the cry of the disparate cells of the body:
“Without each other we are nothing. Please unite us in structure and function with your wisdom. E Pluribus Unum!”
E Pluribus Unum – Out of Many, One
The cells knew they would be around for a long time; their grand scheme was to pursue Oneness. They understood the consequences of bullying, selfishness, greed, and jealousy. They also knew the power of goodness, integrity, humility, and sharing. The cells resolved to fight the evil aspects of humanity. 56 cells from all walks of life discussed the issue of collaborative community living, and drafted a constitution they all signed in Philadelphia. The cells submitted this proposal to Adam and Eve. It read:
“We the Cells of the Body, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United Cells of the Body.”
50 representative cells overlying the stars
Adam and Eve realized that the cell was the key “person” in their society
Adam and Eve, taken aback by the wisdom of biology, accepted the proposal and recognized the document as a marvel of humanity. They knew it was imperfect, but accepted that as humanity learned through time, experience, and application, it could be amended and better understood.
And so what to do now?
Adam and Eve’s first task was to choose leadership for this noble effort. Which type of cells did the society of the body need? The stakes were high; they needed to organize an efficient society in which each of the body’s 37.2 trillion individual cells would be fed, protected, fulfilled and free. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve examined the variety of cells that surrounded them, then turned to consider the needs of society. thinking about which to choose.
Essential Functions
They debated and discussed how to build a body to house and protect its contents and enable the person to live a full and free life. They spoke through the night and on the sixth day they arrived at a basic plan of a successful body’s most important functions. Those functions would fulfill the direction of the constitution they had drafted earlier.
Their plan was a simple list of the body’s essential functions:
- control, manage, direct
- protect and support
- provide food, energy, and manufacture needed products
- transport
- maintain
- produce and prepare the next generation
In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve entered the society of the cells and began to select societal leaders for the various essential functions on their list.
Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden’s Cell Shop
Adam and Eve ventured into the Garden of Eden Cell Shop with their shopping list of the functional needs for their society.
Finding the Leader Cell to Control, Manage and Direct
The cell to govern the body would need an overview of the whole situation of life and Oneness. Its chief characteristics would be wisdom, honesty, humility and integrity. It also needed to sense and react appropriately to both the external and internal environment so that everybody could live a safe and fulfilling life. This cell also had to be able to communicate with every cell in the body – all 37.2 trillion of them – from the tip of the head to the tips of the toes.
The Neuron – “Il Presidente”
They chose the brain cell or neuron for its leadership, and they playfully called it “Il Presidente.” Crucially, the neuron could connect not only with other brain cells, but also (directly or indirectly) with every cell in the body. The neuron could also react to the outside environment.
Adam and Eve Trying on the Brain Cell for Size
Adam tried on the brain cell and sought Eve’s approval. It was tailored for both the internal and external environments.
Modified public domain work of Henri Rousseau “The Dream” 1910 (MoMA)
“Il presidente” made his first speech referencing Hillel’s sage advice: “If I am not for the body of my person who will be? And if I am only for the body of my person, then what am I? If not now when then?”
Adam and Eve nodded at each other, satisfied with their choice.
Finding a Cell for Protection
Adam and Eve lived in a dangerous environment. Wild, predatory animals ranged in size from the dinosaurs to violent religious zealots, to the smallest virus particles. They identified two principal needs – protection from the outside, and protection from the inside of the body. They turned first to secure internal security.
Adam and Eve were aware of Voltaire’s wise words: “Beware of the words ‘internal security,’ for they are the eternal cry of the oppressor.” They also knew, conversely, that Cicero stated “Salus populi suprema lex esto” – “Let the good (or safety) of the people be the supreme (or highest) law.”
The cell responsible for internal environmental control had to be highly intelligent, so it could sensitively identify the enemy without racial profiling. Adam and Eve searched for a long time before they encountered an amazing, introverted cell genius, decorated with Einstein’s hairstyle. They called it the macrophage. This cell had an exquisite memory for detail and an uncanny ability to spot and destroy the enemy of peace. Rebels and terrorists in the body were no match for this cell.
The Macrophage Police Cell with a Crazy Hairstyle
The macrophage’s motto was the simple equation: E = mc2
Enemy of the Common Good will be taken down by the Macrophage with Great Conviction for the sake of the peace of humanity
Finding a Cell to Manufacture Food, Energy, and Other Needed Products
The manufacturing function related to internal economy. Adam and Eve knew that a successful internal economy required self sufficiency. All able bodied cells had a right and an obligation to work. Adam and Eve remembered and appreciated the wise words of the famous John Kennedy who declared “My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”
The body would need manufacturing facilities present in all of its parts. Noticing, however, that the liver cell proved especially adept at manufacturing, Adam and Eve chose this cell to lead the body’s internal economy.
The Liver Cell – Key in Metabolic Function in the Metabolic Warehouse of the Body
Finding a Cell to Lead the Transport Function
Transport to and from the cells would be an essential bodily function. Adam and Eve chose the red cell to lead the effort, since it could transport oxygen and carbon dioxide, which they knew is vital to life. The red cell with its colorful hemoglobin was a natural choice. They recognized its ability to rapidly exchange gases in the lungs and at the cell as a stunning accomplishment of nature.
Red Cell with Hemoglobin Responsible for the Transport of Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide
Finding the Cell to Lead Maintenance: Repair, Cleaning and Waste Removal
Stem Cell Maintenance and Repair
The stem cell can magically transform into many different types of cells necessary to repair and regenerate tissues, which can wear over time. Timed cell death, or apoptosis, is natural and regeneration is necessary. The adult stem cell is responsible for regeneration of blood cells, endothelia of blood vessels, and epithelia of skin, intestine, and respiratory tract. Adult stem cells also repair tissues such as bone, cartilage, and non-cardiac muscle, which are prone to injury due to physical activity. Adam and Eve chose the multipotential adult stem cell to maintain the body’s cell populations.
Preparation for the Next Generation
The miracle of creation understood the importance of education. Each generation would advance to wholeness only if it learned from the experience of prior generations. Humanity has preserved history in archives, museums, and libraries. Similarly, within the nucleus of each cell lies the accumulated experience of the generations in the library of the DNA. Every cell contains all this valuable information, which continues to evolve as human experience advances.
Best for Last: Reproduction
And the next day…
…there was a meeting of the minds on the palace lawn.
7 Cabinet Ministers Posing in Front of Government Center
The 7 cells chosen by Adam and Eve to to advise the design of the structure and function of the body.
From left to right; Liver cell (manufacture), Macrophage (defense and protection) Ovum (reproduction) Neuron (government) Sperm (reproduction) Stem cell (maintenance and repair) and Red cell (transport)