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Biophys. J. BioFAST: First Published March 24, 2006. doi:10.1529/biophysj.105.078915
© 2006 by the Biophysical Society.

A more recent version of this article appeared on June 15, 2006.
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Avner Priel
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SUPRAMOLECULAR ASSEMBLIES

A Bio-Polymer Transistor: Electrical Amplification by Microtubules

Avner Priel 1*, Arnolt J Ramos 2, Jack A. Tuszynski 1 and Horacio Cantiello 2

1 University of Alberta
2 Harvard Medical School

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: apriel{at}phys.ualberta.ca.

Submitted on December 1, 2005
Revised on February 6, 2006
Accepted on 22 February 2006


  Abstract
Microtubules (MTs) are important cytoskeletal structures, engaged in a number of specific cellular activities, including vesicular traffic, cell cyto-architecture and motility, cell division, and information processing within neuronal processes. MTs have also been implicated in higher neuronal functions, including memory, and the emergence of "consciousness". How MTs handle and process electrical information, however, is heretofore unknown. Here we show new electrodynamic properties of MTs. Isolated, taxol-stabilized microtubules behave as bio-molecular transistors capable of amplifying electrical information. Electrical amplification by MTs can lead to the enhancement of dynamic information, and processivity in neurons can be conceptualized as an "ionic-based" transistor, which may impact among other known functions, neuronal computational capabilities.

Key Words: Cytoskeleton, Ion Channels, Ionic Condensation, Ionic Waves, Protein electrical conductivity




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Copyright © 2006 by the Biophysical Society.