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Possible Mechanism for Synchronized Detection of Weak Magnetic Fields by Nerve Cells
Author(s) -
Barnes Frank,
Greenebaum Ben
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
bioelectromagnetics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.435
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1521-186X
pISSN - 0197-8462
DOI - 10.1002/bem.22251
Subject(s) - bioelectromagnetics , magnetic field , pulse (music) , mechanism (biology) , magnetostatics , extremely low frequency , membrane potential , perpendicular , signal (programming language) , biophysics , neuroscience , nuclear magnetic resonance , biological system , physics , biomedical engineering , computer science , biology , optics , mathematics , medicine , detector , geometry , quantum mechanics , programming language
We propose that biological systems may detect static and slowly varying magnetic fields by the modification of the timing of firing of adjacent nerve cells through the local influence of the magnetic field generated by current from one cell's firing on its nearest neighbors. The time delay of an adjacent nerve cell pulse with respect to the initial clock nerve cell pulse could serve as a signal for sensing the magnitude and direction of the magnetic field in a direction perpendicular to the current flows in the cells. It has been shown that changes in static magnetic fields modify concentrations of reactive oxygen species, calcium, pH, the growth rates of fibrosarcoma cells, and membrane potentials. These are linked to changes in membrane potentials that can either inhibit or accelerate the firing rate of pacemaker or clock cells. This mechanism may have applications to animals' use of magnetic fields for navigation or other purposes, possibly in conjunction with other mechanisms. Bioelectromagnetics. © 2020 Bioelectromagnetics Society.