UCSF

Although we often think of cells as small, simple building blocks of life, in fact they are highly complex and can perform a startling variety of functions. In our bodies, cells are programmed by complex differentiation pathways and are capable of responding to a bewildering range of chemical and physical signals. Free-living single-celled organisms, such as bacteria or protists, have to cope with varying environments, locate prey and potential mates, and escape from predators - all of the same tasks that a free-living animal is faced with. When animals face complex behavioral challenges, they rely on their cognitive abilities - the ability to learn from experience, to analyse a situation and choose an appropriate course of action. This ability is essential for survival and should, in principle, be a ubiquitous feature of all living things regardless of the complexity of the organism.