The liver as A self-organizing system. I

Summary The liver is described as a composite system consisting of a set of operative creodic microunits open to a continuous flow of matter, energy and informations. Its dynamics depend on two interactive and interrelated subsystems with actions described ashomopoiesis andhomeorhesis, making it anautoisodiasostic system. The system’s emergent (equifinal) or emergence states, operative potential, diffusion and reaction phenomena and compensation states are also formally described. For readers not familiar with the language of general system theory, of system dynamics and of categorical analysis, a glossary of some terms is provided. This paper forms part of research on pre-cancer states of the liver system, financed by theAssociazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro (AIRC), Milan and by theOspedale Maggiore — Istituto Scientifico di Ricovero e Cura — Milan.