Ondřej Kučera

High-frequency electric field and radiation characteristics of cellular microtubule network

Microtubules are important structures in the cytoskeleton, which organizes the cell. Since microtubules are electrically polar, certain microtubule normal vibration modes efficiently generate oscillating electric field. This oscillating field may be important for the intracellular organization and intercellular interaction. There are experiments which indicate electrodynamic activity of variety of cells in the frequency region from kHz to GHz, expecting the microtubules to be the source of this activity. In this paper, results from the calculation of intensity of electric field and of radiated electromagnetic power from the whole cellular microtubule network are presented. The subunits of microtubule (tubulin heterodimers) are approximated by elementary electric dipoles. Mechanical oscillation of microtubule is represented by the spatial function which modulates the dipole moment of subunits. The field around oscillating microtubules is calculated as a vector superposition of contributions from all modulated elementary electric dipoles which comprise the cellular microtubule network. The electromagnetic radiation and field characteristics of the whole cellular microtubule network have not been theoretically analyzed before. For the perspective experimental studies, the results indicate that macroscopic detection system (antenna) is not suitable for measurement of cellular electrodynamic activity in the radiofrequency region since the radiation rate from single cells is very low (lower than 10⁻²⁰ W). Low noise nanoscopic detection methods with high spatial resolution which enable measurement in the cell vicinity are desirable in order to measure cellular electrodynamic activity reliably.

Cancer physics: diagnostics based on damped cellular elastoelectrical vibrations in microtubules

This paper describes a proposed biophysical mechanism of a novel diagnostic method for cancer detection developed recently by Vedruccio. The diagnostic method is based on frequency selective absorption of electromagnetic waves by malignant tumors. Cancer is connected with mitochondrial malfunction (the Warburg effect) suggesting disrupted physical mechanisms. In addition to decreased energy conversion and nonutilized energy efflux, mitochondrial malfunction is accompanied by other negative effects in the cell. Diminished proton space charge layer and the static electric field around the outer membrane result in a lowered ordering level of cellular water and increased damping of microtubule-based cellular elastoelectrical vibration states. These changes manifest themselves in a dip in the amplitude of the signal with the fundamental frequency of the nonlinear microwave oscillator—the core of the diagnostic device—when coupled to the investigated cancerous tissue via the near-field. The dip is not present in the case of healthy tissue.

Mechano-electrical vibrations of microtubules--link to subcellular morphology.

Spontaneous mechanical oscillations were predicted and experimentally proven on almost every level of cellular structure. Besides morphogenetic potential of oscillatory mechanical force, oscillations may drive vibrations of electrically polar structures or these structures themselves may oscillate on their own natural frequencies. Vibrations of electric charge will generate oscillating electric field, role of which in morphogenesis is discussed in this paper. This idea is demonstrated in silico on the conformation of two growing microtubules.

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

Despite the large number of reports attributing the signaling between detached cell cultures to the electromagnetic phenomena, almost no report so far included a rigorous analysis of the possibility of such signaling.In this paper, we examine the physical feasibility of the electromagnetic communication between cells, especially through light, with regard to the ambient noise illumination. We compare theoretically attainable parameters of communication with experimentally obtained data of the photon emission from cells without a specially pronounced ability of bioluminescence.We show that the weak intensity of the emission together with an unfavorable signal-to-noise ratio, which is typical for natural conditions, represent an important obstacle to the signal detection by cells.

Electro-acoustic behavior of the mitotic spindle: a semi-classical coarse-grained model.

The regulation of chromosome separation during mitosis is not fully understood yet. Microtubules forming mitotic spindles are targets of treatment strategies which are aimed at (i) the triggering of the apoptosis or (ii) the interruption of uncontrolled cell division. Despite these facts, only few physical models relating to the dynamics of mitotic spindles exist up to now. In this paper, we present the first electromechanical model which enables calculation of the electromagnetic field coupled to acoustic vibrations of the mitotic spindle. This electromagnetic field originates from the electrical polarity of microtubules which form the mitotic spindle. The model is based on the approximation of resonantly vibrating microtubules by a network of oscillating electric dipoles. Our computational results predict the existence of a rapidly changing electric field which is generated by either driven or endogenous vibrations of the mitotic spindle. For certain values of parameters, the intensity of the electric field and its gradient reach values which may exert a not-inconsiderable force on chromosomes which are aligned in the spindle midzone. Our model may describe possible mechanisms of the effects of ultra-short electrical and mechanical pulses on dividing cells—a strategy used in novel methods for cancer treatment.

Technical aspects of measurement of cellular electromagnetic activity

Electromagnetic fields generated by living cells have been experimentally investigated in the past 3 decades; however, the results are often inconsistent. In this paper we discuss some technical aspects of such challenging experiments, a brief review of which is also included. Special attention is paid to the sensor with respect to the power available from a cell and the power needed to excite the macroscopic measurement devices. We drew the conclusion that the nanoelectronic approach should be used.

Multi-mode electro-mechanical vibrations of a microtubule: In silico demonstration of electric pulse moving along a microtubule

Microtubules are known to be involved in intracellular signaling. Here, we show in silico that electrically polar collective vibration modes of microtubules form electric oscillating potential which is quasi-periodic both in space and in time. While single mode microtubule vibration excites an electric field with spatially stationary local minima and maxima of the electric field, the multimode excitation causes the formation of an electric pulse and many transient local electric field minima. The biophysical mechanism we describe lends support to the view that microtubules may comprise a substrate for ultra-fast electrical signaling in neurons or other living cells.

Biophotons, coherence and photocount statistics: A critical review

Biological samplescontinuouslyemitultra-weakphotonemission(UPE,or “biophotons”) whichstems from electronicexcitedstatesgeneratedchemicallyduringoxidativemetabolismandstress.Thus,UPE can potentiallyserveasamethodfornon-invasivediagnosticsofoxidativeprocessesor,ifdiscovered, also ofotherprocessescapableofelectronexcitation.Whilethefundamentalgeneratingmechanismsof UPE arefairlyelucidatedtogetherwiththeirapproximaterangesofintensitiesandspectra,thestatistical properties ofUPEarestillahighlychallengingtopic.Here,wereviewclaimsaboutnontrivialstatistical properties ofUPE,suchascoherenceandsqueezedstatesoflight.Aftertheintroductiontothenecessary theory,wecategorizetheexperimentalworksofallauthorstothosewithsolid,conventionalinter- pretation andthosewithunconventionalandevenspeculativeinterpretation.Theconclusionofour reviewistwofold;whilethephenomenonofUPEfrombiologicalsystemscanbeconsideredexperi- mentally wellestablished,noreliableevidenceforthecoherenceornonclassicalityofUPEhasactually been achieveduptonow.Furthermore,weproposeperspectiveavenuesfortheresearchofstatistical properties ofbiologicalUPE.

Deformation pattern in vibrating microtubule: Structural mechanics study based on an atomistic approach

The mechanical properties of microtubules are of great importance for understanding their biological function and for applications in artificial devices. Although microtubule mechanics has been extensively studied both theoretically and experimentally, the relation to its molecular structure is understood only partially. Here, we report on the structural analysis of microtubule vibration modes calculated by an atomistic approach. Molecular dynamics was applied to refine the atomic structure of a microtubule and a Cα elastic network model was analyzed for its normal modes. We mapped fluctuations and local deformations up to the level of individual aminoacid residues. The deformation is mode-shape dependent and principally different in α-tubulins and β-tubulins. Parts of the tubulin dimer sequence responding specifically to longitudinal and radial stress are identified. We show that substantial strain within a microtubule is located both in the regions of contact between adjacent dimers and in the body of tubulins. Our results provide supportive evidence for the generally accepted assumption that the mechanics of microtubules, including its anisotropy, is determined by the bonds between tubulins.

Radiofrequency and microwave interactions between biomolecular systems

The knowledge of mechanisms underlying interactions between biological systems, be they biomacromolecules or living cells, is crucial for understanding physiology, as well as for possible prevention, diagnostics and therapy of pathological states. Apart from known chemical and direct contact electrical signaling pathways, electromagnetic phenomena were proposed by some authors to mediate non-chemical interactions on both intracellular and intercellular levels. Here, we discuss perspectives in the research of nanoscale electromagnetic interactions between biosystems on radiofrequency and microwave wavelengths. Based on our analysis, the main perspectives are in (i) the micro and nanoscale characterization of both passive and active radiofrequency properties of biomacromolecules and cells, (ii) experimental determination of viscous damping of biomacromolecule structural vibrations and (iii) detailed analysis of energetic circumstances of electromagnetic interactions between oscillating polar biomacromolecules. Current cutting-edge nanotechnology and computational techniques start to enable such studies so we can expect new interesting insights into electromagnetic aspects of molecular biophysics of cell signaling.