I was reading in SCIENCE a report on the organization of animal tissue by its components cells. These are supported in the communal place (their 'home') by what is called Extracelular Cellular Matrix (ECM), which is actually created by proteins secreted by the cells themselves. These proteins are called, quite appositely, "integrins." Thus, the tissue might be considered as a condominium, where each inhabitant shares in the commonwealth.

If a cell fails to get 'homed,' it is doomed. The phenomenon of being unable to become part of the group is called 'anoikis,' which in Greek means 'homelessness.' Such cell suffers the process called 'apoptosis,' which means 'self-killing,' as a result of a genetically programmed bio-molecular 'cascade' process. In fact, cells are born and develop already programmed for apoptosis, which is only avoided when they fulfill their functional genetic programming. Thus, undesirable cells, whether by din of becoming irrelevant in the course of an organ's development, or by having defective DNA for any reason, or by being severely diseased, will apoptose. Cancerous cells thrive for diverse reasons, a well known one being the pathological absence of the apoptosis-inducer 'p53 protein,' a watchdog initiator of the apoptotic molecular chain-event ending in cellular lysis effected by proteolytic enzymes.

As I read that, I recalled another research article dealing with microbes, which I had read a few weeks before; I kept it in a back burner, to be exploited for a D-SP essay. And now, the two experimental results clicked together! I could now write about a new essay, supporting THE BAD and THE GOOD evolutionary developments, in support of the original essay. THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE EVIL Small numbers of bacteria belonging to a given species were seeded in culture broth. They multiplied initially as separate groups, but after several days they coalesced in one single large group. When that group was placed in new broth, it disintegrated for a few days. When new bacteria were seeded in the old broth, they rapidly coalesced. It was found that the individual bacterium secretes a protein acting as a signal (a chemical message). When that protein reaches a critical concentration, it induces a gene to express a new protein guiding the individual groups to integrate. The integrated group now activates genes that produce a new protein of tough physical character, which prevents antibiotics and inmunological defense mechanisms from affecting the group. That group is now a "bio-film," the scourge of teeth (plaque), urinary catheters, and tissues plagued with chronic infections.

From a D-SP point of view, both the tissue cells and the microbes show THE GOOD in the form of their contribution to the welfare of the group. As for THE BAD, the cells grow and develop by getting the necessary nutritional molecules from the plasma and lymph in which they are bathed. It is the whole organism the one who is in charge of ingesting other living organisms, as a continuation of the evolutionary BAD, for the needs of all its constituent cells.

Microbes in the experiments mentioned, do not need to manifest their BADNESS, because the manufacturer of the culture broth had already prepared it through his own BADNESS, sacrificing the living organisms that gave their lives in the altar of science and for the good of societally legalized biomedical enterprise...

My wife asked me, "What about malignant cells?" So that I must add:

Their BADNESS is no different to their normal counterparts'. It is their GOODNESS that is different. A cancer cell is 'egocentric,' bent on creating groups composed of its clones. They invade other tissues, setting up new groups. They are the evolutionary model for what H. sapiens calls "fascism." As these cells progress in their newly found evolutionary 'goodness,' they bring upon themselves their own apocalypsis once their host succumbs...