What is the Origin of Biological System Entropy?

The term borrows directly from the second law of thermodynamics, where entropy quantifies disorder in a physical system. Its application to biology, particularly in the context of aging, emerged from biogerontology research that sought a unifying principle for age-related decline. The concept emphasizes that living systems must constantly expend energy to resist this natural drift toward disorganization.

What is the Mechanism of Biological System Entropy?

Biologically, entropy manifests through processes like mitochondrial dysfunction, telomere shortening, accumulation of senescent cells, and reduced fidelity of DNA repair mechanisms. These molecular errors degrade the precision of cellular signaling and metabolic pathways. The cumulative effect is a diminished ability for the organism to adapt to internal and external stressors, leading to the clinical hallmarks of aging and disease susceptibility.

Biological System Entropy ∞ Area

Biological System Entropy

Meaning

A measure of the inherent tendency toward disorder, loss of complexity, and decreased functional efficiency within a living biological system over time. This concept, adapted from thermodynamics, describes the progressive accumulation of molecular damage and the decline in the body’s capacity to maintain homeostatic balance. Increasing entropy is fundamentally linked to the aging process and reduced physiological reserve.