Biological entropy refers to the inherent, irreversible tendency of a living system to lose its organized structure and functional capacity over time, leading to senescence and eventual mortality. It represents the accumulation of molecular damage, cellular dysfunction, and the increasing disorder within the organism’s complex physiological networks. This concept is a direct biological parallel to the second law of thermodynamics, which governs increasing disorder in closed systems.
Origin
The concept originates from applying the thermodynamic principle of entropy to biological systems, gaining traction in aging research and biogerontology. Entropy, derived from the Greek entropia meaning ‘a turning toward’ or ‘transformation,’ was first introduced in physics to describe energy dispersal. Its biological adaptation describes the progressive decline in the body’s capacity to maintain low-entropy, highly organized states, such as cellular repair and hormonal precision.
Mechanism
The mechanism is driven by cumulative oxidative stress, telomere shortening, epigenetic alterations, and mitochondrial decay, all contributing to systemic disorganization. As biological entropy increases, the body’s endocrine axes become less responsive, resulting in dysregulated hormone production and receptor sensitivity. This functional breakdown impairs cellular signaling and reduces the organism’s overall capacity to adapt to internal and external stressors, accelerating the aging process.
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