A Biopolymer Transistor: Electrical Amplification by Microtubules

Overview

Journal Biophys J

Publisher Cell Press

Specialty Biophysics

Date 2006 Mar 28

PMID 16565058

Citations 42

Authors

Avner Priel

Arnolt J Ramos

Jack A Tuszynski

Horacio F Cantiello

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

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 MTs behave as biomolecular 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 affect, among other known functions, neuronal computational capabilities.

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