Electrons are involved in all electrical phenomena, and living cells cannot be an exception. This book takes on a decidedly different approach to existing texts on electrophysiology, by considering electrical physiological processes from the viewpoint of electron flow, rather than the conventional notion of ion movement. It concisely describes the theoretical background of electron density and cellular voltage, before exploring thought-provoking questions such as the relationship between electrolyte distribution and transmembrane potential, and the source of electricity generation in living cells. A new electromagnetic theory of muscular function is presented, and all topics of relevance — including the electrophysiology of invertebrates, plants, fungi and bacteria — are comprehensively covered. Using plain language and more than 40 original illustrations, the author has designed each chapter to provide a succinct overview of an individual topic in a format that appeals to both the expert and the uninitiated. Electromagnetism, Quanta, and Electron Flow in the Electrophysiology of Living Cells proffers a refreshingly new way to understand a fascinatingly old subject.
Author(s): Mark Noble
Publisher: World Scientific Publishing
Year: 2021
Language: English
Pages: 219
City: Singapore
Contents
Acknowledgements
About the Author
Preface
Abbreviations
[A] Introduction
Chapter 1. Facts and definitions
Chapter 2. What about volts?
Chapter 3. What is the current idea about cellular voltage?
Chapter 4. The concept of electron density
Chapter 5. Does the electrolyte distribution actually determine the trans-membrane potential?
Chapter 6. Where, in living cells, is electricity generated?
Chapter 7. Depolarisation (loss of cytoplasmic electron density) activation
Chapter 8. A test of the impedance hypothesis
Chapter 9. Fast depolarisation in conducting tissues
Chapter 10. Repolarisation
Chapter 11. The calcium, sodium and potassium problems
Chapter 12. Excitation-contraction coupling in muscles
The effect of the Ca2+ problem on skeletal muscle electrophysiology
Chapter 13. The effect of the Ca2+ problem on cardiac muscle electrophysiology
Chapter 14. Mechanical restitution and the optimal contractile response
Chapter 15. Internal calcium ion release and recirculation
[B] Non-Electromagnetic Theory versus Electromagnetic Theory of Muscular Function
Chapter 16. Objections to the non-electromagnetic theory of striated muscle
Chapter 17. Different theories
Towards an alternative theory
Chapter 18. Electromagnetic theory of muscle contraction
Chapter 19. Electrophysiology of smooth muscle
Vascular smooth muscle
Chapter 20. Flow-mediated dilatation
Role of nitric oxide in restoring electron density
Chapter 21. Pulmonary vessels
Role of hypoxia and serotonin
Chapter 22. Non-vascular smooth muscle
Gut
Ducts
Bladder, ureter, urethra and urinary sphincter
Chapter 23. Hierarchy of vertebrate muscle
[C] Other Organs
Chapter 24. Electrophysiology of endocrine glands
Pituitary-hypothalamus complex: “The conductor of the endocrine orchestra”
Electrophysiology of the endocrine pancreas
Electrophysiology of the thyroid follicular cells
Electrophysiology of the parathyroid glands
Electrophysiology of the pineal gland
Testosterone-secreting cells (Leydig cells)
Adrenal gland
Chapter 25. Electrophysiology of exocrine glands
Pancreatic acinar cells
Salivary acinar cells
Other exocrine glands
Chapter 26. Exceptions to any general model
Electrophysiology of the liver
Electrophysiology of the kidney
Electrophysiology of the lung
Electrophysiology of the ear
Electrophysiology of the eye — an exceptional exception
Chapter 27. Central and autonomic nervous systems
Chapter 28. Receptors affecting perception
Pain receptors
Stretch receptors
Muscle stretch receptors
Gut stretch receptors
Touch receptors
Chapter 29. Receptors initiating feedback control reflexes
Baroreceptors
Baroreflex
Taste and smell receptors
Other chemoreceptors
Chapter 30. Summary and general comments on vertebrate animals
[D] Invertebrates
Chapter 31. The electrophysiology of invertebrates
Insects
Molluscs
Slugs
Snails
Squid
Octopus
Mussels
Jellyfish
Animals
[E] Interlude
Chapter 32. Electricity passing through flesh
From cardiac action potentials to ECG
Passage of some electricity from the heart to the body surface
Frontal plane (2D) vector analysis
Anterior to posterior vector analysis
[F] Other Organisms
Chapter 33. Plants
Land plants
The pathway of electrons
Sea plants
Chapter 34. Fungi
Chapter 35. “Primitive” organisms
Amoebae
Slime moulds
Plankton
Hydra
Lamprey
Chapter 36. Bacteria
Microbiome
Archaea
Viruses and Phages
Light-emitting organisms
Epilogue
References
Index
