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5 postsFilters: category: biophysics Clear
Electrical oscillations in microtubules
This study introduces a multi-scale electrokinetic model to characterize electrical impulses and ionic current propagation along microtubules, incorporating atomistic protein details and biological environments. It emphasizes nanopore-mediated coupling between microtubule surfaces as a key mechanism enabling luminal currents, energy transfer, amplification, and oscillatory dynamics. The authors report pharmacological inhibition experiments (Taxol and Gd3+) supporting the interpretation that nanopores function as active nanogates contributing to transistor-like behavior.
Effect of Increased Ionizing Radiation and Near-Null Magnetic Field on Electrical Signals of Plants
This experimental study examined how increased β ionizing radiation (31.3 μGy/h) and hypomagnetic conditions (0–1.5 μT) affect plant electrical signaling responses to stimuli. It reports enhanced electrical signals under increased ionizing radiation and weakened signals under near-null magnetic field conditions. The authors suggest these effects may be mediated by changes in reactive oxygen species involved in stress signaling.
Assessment of spatial-average absorbed power density and peak temperature rise in skin model under localized electromagnetic exposure
This numerical dosimetry study modeled localized RF exposure (3–30 GHz) in multi-layer human skin constructs including skin, fat, and muscle, with an added synthetic blood vessel model. Vascular modeling had negligible impact on peak spatial-averaged absorbed power density and a modest impact on peak temperature rise (about 8% at 3 GHz, <3% above 6 GHz). The authors conclude that including vasculature can refine predictions of localized thermal distributions for dosimetry accuracy.
Active matter as the underpinning agency for extraordinary sensitivity of biological membranes to electric fields
This biophysics paper presents a nonequilibrium (active matter) statistical mechanics model for electromechanical biological membranes. It argues that energy-driven activity in membranes could enable detection of electric fields far below equilibrium thermal-noise limits, and reports that the model can reproduce experimental observations by tuning activity. The abstract frames this as a potential mechanistic link between weak electromagnetic fields and biological responses, while also noting future modeling directions and possible implications for exposure safety discussions.
Magneto-oncology: a radical pair primer
This mini-review discusses the radical pair mechanism as a plausible biophysical route by which external magnetic fields could influence biochemical processes in living systems. It is intended as a primer for magneto-oncology researchers to assess whether observed magnetic-field-related biomedical effects may be explained by radical pair biochemistry. The article also notes the value of this framework for refining therapeutic protocols and for identifying potential experimental artifacts in oncology-related magnetic field research.