Oxygen is essential for cellular function and is typically studied in terms of concentration-dependent and gradual responses. However, many biological phenomena occur abruptly and cannot be fully explained by continuous models of cellular adaptation. This work proposes a different framework: that the dynamics of oxygen delivery, rather than its absolute concentration alone, determine whether a cell undergoes a discrete state transition. Specifically, it is hypothesized that when oxygen input reaches a critical dynamic configuration defined by its rate and temporal structure a cell does not respond gradually but instead switches state in a single moment. This transition is defined as a critical point (tc), at which the cellular system reorganizes instantaneously. The model treats factors such as disease, environment, and physiological condition as indirect influences that act only by modifying oxygen delivery dynamics. A set of testable predictions is presented, focusing on direct measurement of cellular responses under controlled oxygen dynamics. These include the existence of abrupt transitions, independence from underlying causes, and the primacy of dynamic input over total oxygen quantity. If validated, this framework would support a shift from continuous, concentration-based models toward a dynamics-based understanding of cellular regulation.
Smail Samai (2026) studied this question.