  In order to develop the methods of thermodynamic analysis for the living
cell, two models of protoplasm microstructure of the living cell in resting
state were suggested. Both models are based on the assumption that the Ling's
cell as a statistical mechanics system is non-ergodic. In the first, Van der
Waals model, the protein-protein interactions, which form the physical basis
for the cell functioning, are considered as a interactions of key importance.
It is postulated that protein molecules are situated in points of some space
lattice (the Ling model of a cell) they assemble to aggregates at equilibrium
state, corresponding to the dead protoplasm. In the second model we consider
protein conformation at the resting state and conformation changes while the
cell is passing from the resting state to the equilibrium state (dead
protoplasm). The investigation of the models and comparison of their
characteristics showed that the convenient tool to define the energy minimum of
the system under consideration is a Hamiltonian describing the superfluid Bose
gas on protein configuration space. Our approach allows us to define the
thermodynamic features of the living (at resting state) and dead protoplasm in
a new way: in the first case the system is characterized by the unfolded state
of proteins, in the second case proteins are folded and aggregated. Obtained
results prove the applicability of our approaches for thermodynamic
characteristics of the Ling model of a cell.
