Cellular proteome, coregulators, endocrine system and the human brain: the Regulatory biology of humanism

There is little doubt that humans are the masters of their known universe. A lively debate could center on why this is so. Although humans have many specialized physical features, such as the marvelous human hand and fingers, other species also have distinguishing features that outclass similar physical features of humans features such as more acute hearing, smell, or sight. There is little debate, however, that our crowning evolutionary achievement is the human brain. There appears to be no species or other mammal capable of competing with our ability to reason, plan, calculate, and emote. How did this impressive jump in evolution occur? Although not a question that can be answered by hard data, it remains a lively topic for discussion. In my opinion, the two most advanced biologic ‘systems’ that we humans have are (1) the central and peripheral endocrine system and (2) the cellular proteome. It is these two points I would like to further develop in this Perspective.