Origin of protocells

Did life arise from pre-existing cellular structures?

The alternative is that living systems first appeared as solutions or adsorbed films, with cellular life developing only at a later evolutionary stage.

If the self-assembly of amphiphilic molecules into membranes preceded the origin of life, it is plausible that the earliest living systems had access to encapsulated enviroments.

It should be possible to demonstrate self-assembly of simple cellular systems in the laboratory under simulated prebiotic conditions.

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Last updated Feb-10-1997

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