What is the main implication of the statement "cells maintain order" in a biochemical context?

The statement "cells maintain order" in a biochemical context primarily implies that cells must utilize energy to uphold their internal organization and perform necessary biological functions. When cells maintain order, they are engaging in processes that require energy input to overcome the tendency towards disorder, as described by the second law of thermodynamics, which states that the entropy of a closed system tends to increase.

Thus, cells absorb energy from their environment, usually in the form of nutrients or sunlight, to drive metabolic processes that build complex molecules, maintain structural integrity, and facilitate transport across membranes. This utilization of energy is what allows cells to create and sustain a state of low entropy within themselves, even as they contribute to an increase in entropy in their surrounding environment (as energy is transformed and heat is released).

The notion that "cells increase entropy in the environment" is a key concept that reflects this balance: while cells internally maintain order and organized systems, they are simultaneously creating disorder outside of themselves through metabolic processes. This duality is essential for understanding cellular function and organization.