Cell-to-cell signaling through light: just a ghost of chance?

Kučera, Ondřej; Cifra, Michal

doi:10.1186/1478-811x-11-87

Cited by 65 publications

(69 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…This type of cellular information transmission in the brain has already been proposed Bókkon et al, 2011;Rahnama et al, 2011;Salari et al, 2012;Bókkon et al, 2013) and initial experimental investigations conducted (Sun et al, 2010;Dai, 2013, 2014). There could be also a connection between the findings in in vitro experiments about optical/electromagnetic coupling of cell cultures (Fels, 2009;Cifra et al, 2011;Reguera, 2011;Rossi et al, 2011;Kučera and Cifra, 2013;Scholkmann et al, 2013;Prasad et al, 2014) and electromagnetic processes in the brain. Lastly, the insight that the brain's electromagnetic field is not an epiphenomenon could possibly lead to a new understanding about the biological significance of the magnetite (Fe3O4) particles found in the brain: they could function as a shield to protect the endogenous electromagnetic fields against the exogenous ones (Størmer, 2014), and/or they could be involved in the electrical and electromagnetic processes in the brain (Banaclocha et al, 2010;Størmer et al, 2011Størmer et al, , 2013.…”

Section: Summary Conclusion and Outlookmentioning

confidence: 99%

Two emerging topics regarding long-range physical signaling in neurosystems: Membrane nanotubes and electromagnetic fields

Scholkmann

2015

J. Integr. Neurosci.

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In this review paper, an overview is given of two emerging research topics that address the importance of long-range physical signaling in living biosystems. The first topic concerns the biophysical principles and the physiological significance of long-range cell-to-cell signaling through electrical signals facilitated by membrane nanotubes (MNTs) (also called "tunneling nanotubes"), namely long membrane extensions that connect cells, discovered about 10 years ago. This review paper looks at experimental results that showed electrical signals being propagated through MNTs, and that MNT-mediated electrical coupling between brain cells involves activation of low-voltage-gated calcium channels. The significance of electrical cell-to-cell coupling through MNT for neuronal communication is discussed. The second topic deals with endogenous electromagnetic fields generated by nerve cells. The review concludes that these fields are not just an "epiphenomenon" but play a fundamental role in neuronal processes. For example, electromagnetic fields from brain cells feed back to their generating cells and to other cells (ephaptic coupling) and, for example, modulate the spiking timing of them. It is also discussed that cell membranes of neurons have specific resonance properties which possibly determine the impact of endogenous electric field fluctuations with respect to field strength and frequency. In addition, it is reviewed how traveling and standing waves of the endogenous electromagnetic field produced by neuronal and non-neuronal cells may play an integral part in global neuronal network dynamics. Finally, an outlook is given on which research questions should be addressed in the future regarding these two topics. Abstract: In this review paper, an overview is given of two emerging research topics that address the importance of longrange physical signaling in living biosystems. The first topic concerns the biophysical principles and the physiological significance of long-range cell-to-cell signaling through electrical signals facilitated by membrane nanotubes (MNTs) (also called "tunneling nanotubes"), namely long membrane extensions that connect cells, discovered about 10 years ago. This review paper looks at experimental results that showed electrical signals being propagated through MNTs, and that MNT-mediated electrical coupling between brain cells involves activation of low-voltage-gated calcium channels. The significance of electrical cell-to-cell coupling through MNT for neuronal communication is discussed. The second topic deals with endogenous electromagnetic fields generated by nerve cells. The review concludes that these fields are not just an "epiphenomenon" but play a fundamental role in neuronal processes. For example, electromagnetic fields from brain cells feed back to their generating cells and to other cells (ephaptic coupling) and, for example, modulate the spiking timing of them. It is also discussed that cell membranes of neurons have specific resonance properties which possibly determin...

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Section: Summary Conclusion and Outlookmentioning

confidence: 99%

Two emerging topics regarding long-range physical signaling in neurosystems: Membrane nanotubes and electromagnetic fields

Scholkmann

2015

J. Integr. Neurosci.

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“…At first, if the claims of UPE coherence were proved to be true, a novel mechanism of chemically powered ultra low power lasing would be very likely discovered. At second, there would be also great implications in biology since coherence or squeezed states of UPE would bring an evolutionary advantage for organisms in terms of ultra fast optical communication [15] for purpose of intracellular and intercellular interactions and organization [16].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biophotons, coherence and photocount statistics: A critical review

Cifra

Brouder

Nerudová

et al. 2015

Journal of Luminescence

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Biological samples continuously emit ultra-weak photon emission (UPE, or "biophotons") which stems from electronic excited states generated chemically during oxidative metabolism and stress. Thus, UPE can potentially serve as a method for noninvasive diagnostics of oxidative processes or, if discovered, also of other processes capable of electron excitation. While the fundamental generating mechanisms of UPE are fairly elucidated together with their approximate ranges of intensities and spectra, statistical properties of UPE is still a highly challenging topic. Here we review claims about nontrivial statistical properties of UPE, such as coherence and squeezed states of light. After introduction to the necessary theory, we categorize the experimental works of all authors to those with solid, conventional interpretation and those with unconventional and even speculative interpretation. The conclusion of our review is twofold; while the phenomenon of UPE from biological systems can be considered experimentally well established, no reliable evidence for the coherence or nonclassicality of UPE was actually achieved up to now. Furthermore, we propose perspective avenues in the research of statistical properties of biological UPE.

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“…To find the answer to this question is one of the greatest challenges in the field of non-chemical distant cellular interaction [29]. We will attempt to answer this later in Section The Processing.…”

Section: The Signal To Noise Ratio Issuementioning

confidence: 99%

“…But since for the moment there is no evidence for such a mechanism, the question if very few photons could transmit information, will remain unanswered [29] as long an experimental proof is inexistent.…”

Section: The Processingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Light based cellular interactions: hypotheses and perspectives

Laager¹

2015

Front. Phys.

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This work investigates the theoretical possibility of interactions between cells via light. We first take a brief look at the previous research done in the past to have a better understanding of the field and the origins of the concept of cellular interactions. Then we identify the different elements essential for interactions between two parties. We then compare the required elements with the known and studied elements and characteristics which are well defined in biology, chemistry and physics. This way we are able to set up four postulates required for cell interactions: I. A signal is present and subject to secondary modulation by the emitter cells. II. There is a plastic information medium that reacts directly to the metabolic state of the emitter and therefore carries information about the emitter. III. An optical signal can be perceived by cells on a molecular level by a multitude of different receptors. IV. The information can in theory be processed by cells and metabolic changes in reaction to the signals can be observed. We demonstrate that all required elements have been observed. Most of them have important and well-known roles in cells. Therefore, we suggest that our hypothetical model is a good explanation for light based cellular interactions.

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Cell-to-cell signaling through light: just a ghost of chance?

Cited by 65 publications

References 36 publications

Two emerging topics regarding long-range physical signaling in neurosystems: Membrane nanotubes and electromagnetic fields

Two emerging topics regarding long-range physical signaling in neurosystems: Membrane nanotubes and electromagnetic fields

Biophotons, coherence and photocount statistics: A critical review

Light based cellular interactions: hypotheses and perspectives

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