Table 1 Comparison between physical and cellular phase transitions

Thermodynamic equilibrium

Far from thermodynamic equilibrium

Static equilibrium state

Dynamic attractor state

Change of state (static)

Change of state (dynamical)

Spatial organization (order)

Functional organization

Response functions: susceptibilities

Response functions: sensitivities

Stability against perturbations

Robustness against fluxes

Criticality: emergence of multistability

Criticality: emergence of new dynamical state; two static states

Control parameters: temperature, pressure

Control parameters: temperature, pH, [O₂], [carcinogen]

Order parameters: density, magnetization

Order parameters: rate of cell division, morphological change (level of roundedness), relative rate of glycolysis versus oxidative phosphorylation