What new forms arose from the macromolecules? What characteristics did these pre biological cells share with today's living cells? How did nucleic acids and proteins begin regulating the internal environment of these pre biological cells? When did the creation of new pre biological cells by physical fragmentation leave off and the reproduction of new biological cells via nucleic acids begin?
From macromolecules, pre biological "cells" arose. These were complex units that exhibited many of the characteristics of biological cells including the formation of a selective membrane, internal movement resembling cytoplasmic streaming, orderly arrangement of internal molecules, growth in size and complexity, budding, and aggregation in clusters. Within the pre biological cells, the intense concentration of proteins and nucleic acids increased the probability that these chemicals would engage in reactions that exerted a selective and regulatory influence on the pre biological cells. Where the creation of new pre biological cells by physical fragmentation left off and the reproduction of new biological cells via nucleic acids began, is impossible to say. No abrupt transition between pre biological cells and biological cells ever occurred; instead, the transition happened extremely gradually.
