Vital functions of living beings
All living things that live on Earth are characterized by:
- have a very similar chemical composition. We are made up of the same types of atoms, held together by chemical bonds, that form the same types of biomolecules.
- be made up of cells. They can be unicellular (one cell) or multicellular (many).
- Perform all three vital functions.
All living beings perform a series of vital functions to stay alive and adapt to the environment. These vital functions are carried out by even the simplest and unicellular beings.
All living things perform these three vital functions:
- Nutrition function. It includes the processes by which living things obtain matter and energy to live.
- Relationship function. It is the ability of living beings to capture information about the changes that occur in the environment, process that information, develop a response and react to these stimuli.
- Reproduction function. It is the ability of living beings to generate organisms similar to themselves, with the same characteristics.
