The concept of identity: from philosophy to cell biology and back

Life represents a very complex phenomenon based on the organization and functions of cells, the elementary units of any living structure. The proper functioning of every cell in an organism assures its health. In addition, proper functioning also means the great ability of cells to adapt to changes in the environment and survive to the advantage of the organism they belong to. Sometimes, the functions of some cells can be so affected by certain stressors that they can deviate from a normal to a pathological state. Proper functioning of the cell is determined by its identity, which if changed can often induce pathology. This is the underlying reason for our interest in cell identity determination, increasingly critical for our understanding of cell biology and medicine. In this paper, we aim to analyze the concept of identity in general terms, starting with its approaches in philosophy and switching toward its practical, biological application in cell identity. We will advocate the need to balance various views on the concept of identity in order to find solutions in approaching cell identity