Mechanistic Approaches to Interactions of Electric and Electromagnetic Fields with Living Systems / Edition 1

by Martin Blank, E. Findl

Overview

Although there is general agreement that exogenous electric and electromagnetic fields influence and modulate the properties of biological systems. there is no concensus regarding the mechanisms by which such fields operate. It is the purpose of this volume to bring together and examine critically the mechanistic models and concepts that have been proposed. We have chosen to arrange the papers in terms of the level of biological organization emphasized by the contributors. Some papers overlap categories. but the progression from ions and membrane surfaces. through macromolecules and the membrane matrix to integrated systems. establishes a mechanistic chain of causality that links the basic interactions in the relatively well understood simple systems to the complex living systems. where all effects occur simultaneously. The backgrounds of the invited contributors include biochemistry. biophysics. cell biology. electrical engineering. electrochemistry. electrophysiology. medicine and physical chemistry. As a result of this diversity. the mechanistic models reflect the differing approaches used by these disciplines to explain the same phenomena. Areas of agreement define the common ground. while the areas of divergence provide opportunities for refining our ideas through further experimentation. To facilitate the interaction between the different points of view, the authors have clearly indicated those published observations that they are trying to explain. i.e. the experiments that have been critical in their thinking. This should establish a concensus regarding important observations. In the discussion of theories.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780306426841
Publisher:	Springer US
Publication date:	10/31/1987
Edition description:	1987
Pages:	444
Product dimensions:	7.01(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.04(d)

Table of Contents

Ions and Membrane Surfaces.- Ionic Processes at Membrane Surfaces: The Role of Electrical Double Layers in Electrically Stimulated Ion Transport.- Membrane Transduction of Low Energy Level Fields and the Ca++ Hypothesis.- Electrochemical Kinetics at the Cell Membrane: A Physicochemical Link for Electromagnetic Bioeffects.- Modification of Charge Distribution at Boundaries between Electrically Dissimilar Media.- The Role of the Magnetic Field in the EM Interaction with Ligand Binding.- Cyclotron Resonance in Cell Membranes: The Theory of the Mechanism.- Experimental Evidence for Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mediation of Membrane Transport.- Frequency and Amplitude Dependence of Electric Field Interactions: Electrokinetics and Biosynthesis.- Macromolecules.- The Influence of Surface Charge on Oligomeric Reactions as a Basis for Channel Dynamics.- Internal Electric Fields Generated by Surface Charges and Induced by Visible Light in Bacteriorhodopsin Membranes.- Interaction of Membrane Proteins with Static and Dynamic Electric Fields via Electroconformational Coupling.- Interactions Between Enzyme Catalysis and Non Stationary Electric Fields.- Patterns of Transcription and Translation in Cells Exposed to EM Fields: A Review.- Interaction of Electromagnetic Fields with Genetic Information.- Membrane Matrix.- Transient Aqueous Pores: A Mechanism for Coupling Electric Fields to Bilayer and Cell Membranes.- Electrorotation - The Spin of Cells in Rotating High Frequency Electric Fields.- Membranes, Electromagnetic Fields and Critical Phenomena.- Field Effects in Experimental Bilayer Lipid Membranes and Biomembranes.- Fusogenic Membrane Alterations Induced by Electric Field Pulses.- Integrated Systems.- Some Possible Limits on the Minimum Electrical Signals of Biological Significance.- Electrostatic Fields and their Influence on Surface Structure, Shape and Deformation of Red Blood Cells.- Cell Surface Ionic Phenomena in Transmembrane Signaling to Intracellular Enzyme Systems.- Low Energy Time Varying Electromagnetic Field Interactions with Cellular Control Mechanisms.- The Mechanism of Faradic Stimulation of Osteogenesis.- The Role of Calcium Ions in the Electrically Stimulated Neurite Formation in Vitro.- On the Responsiveness of Elasmobranch Fishes to Weak Electric Fields.- Contributors.