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Human Cells have Electric Fields as Powerful as Lighting Bolts -A Galaxy
Classic
Using newly developed voltage-sensitive nanoparticles, researchers have found that the
previously unknown electric fields inside of cells are as strong, or stronger, as those produced
in lightning bolts. Previously, it has only been possible to measure electric fields across cell
membranes, not within the main bulk of cells, so scientists didn't even know cells had an
internal electric field.
This discovery is a surprising twist for cell researchers. Scientists don't know what causes
these incredibly strong fields or why they' are there. But now using new nanotools, such as
voltage-sensitive dyes, they can start to measure them at least. Researchers believe they
may be able to learn more about disease states, such as cancer, by studying these minute,
but powerful electric fields.
University of Michigan researchers led by chemistry professor Raoul Kopelman encapsulated
voltage-sensitive dyes in polymer spheres just 30 nanometers in diameter. Testing these
nanoparticles in the internal fluid of brain-cancer cells, Kopelman found electric fields as
strong as 15 million volts per meter, up to five times stronger than the field found in a lightning
bolt. However, this discovery goes beyond being incredibly interesting; the finding will likely
change the way researchers look at disease.
"They have developed a tool that allows you to look at cellular changes on a very local level,"
said Piotr Grodzinski, director of the National Cancer Institute Alliance for Nanotechnology in
Cancer in Technology Review. Grodzinski believes many developments in cancer research,
for example, over the past few years have been "reactive" rather than proactive. Despite how
far cancer treatments have come, the way that cancer, and other diseases, progresses at the
cellular level in the first place is still not well understood. With a better understanding,
researchers could improve diagnostics and care. "This development represents an attempt to
start using nanoscale tools to understand how disease develops," said Grodzinski.
Kopelman has developed encapsulated voltage-sensitive dyes that aren't hydrophobic and
can operate anywhere in the cell, rather than just in membranes. Because it's possible to
place his encapsulated dyes in a cell with a greater degree of control, Kopelman likens them
to voltmeters. "Nano voltmeters do not perturb [the cellular] environment, and you can control
where you put them," he says.
The existence of strong electric fields across cellular membranes is accepted as a basic fact
of cell biology. The fact that cells have internal electric fields as well, however, is a whole new
revelation. Scientists previously did not know of the existence of internal cellular energy fields,
and are just in the earliest stages of understand the phenomenon. Kopelman presented his
results at the annual meeting of the American Society for Cell Biology this month. "There has
been no skepticism as to the measurements," says Kopelman. "But we don't have an
interpretation."
Daniel Chu of the University of Washington in Seattle agrees that Kopelman's work provides
proof of concept that cells have internal electric fields. "It's bound to be important, but nobody
has looked at it yet," Chu says.
Posted by Rebecca Sato
http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2009/01/human-cells-hav.html
Classic
Using newly developed voltage-sensitive nanoparticles, researchers have found that the
previously unknown electric fields inside of cells are as strong, or stronger, as those produced
in lightning bolts. Previously, it has only been possible to measure electric fields across cell
membranes, not within the main bulk of cells, so scientists didn't even know cells had an
internal electric field.
This discovery is a surprising twist for cell researchers. Scientists don't know what causes
these incredibly strong fields or why they' are there. But now using new nanotools, such as
voltage-sensitive dyes, they can start to measure them at least. Researchers believe they
may be able to learn more about disease states, such as cancer, by studying these minute,
but powerful electric fields.
University of Michigan researchers led by chemistry professor Raoul Kopelman encapsulated
voltage-sensitive dyes in polymer spheres just 30 nanometers in diameter. Testing these
nanoparticles in the internal fluid of brain-cancer cells, Kopelman found electric fields as
strong as 15 million volts per meter, up to five times stronger than the field found in a lightning
bolt. However, this discovery goes beyond being incredibly interesting; the finding will likely
change the way researchers look at disease.
"They have developed a tool that allows you to look at cellular changes on a very local level,"
said Piotr Grodzinski, director of the National Cancer Institute Alliance for Nanotechnology in
Cancer in Technology Review. Grodzinski believes many developments in cancer research,
for example, over the past few years have been "reactive" rather than proactive. Despite how
far cancer treatments have come, the way that cancer, and other diseases, progresses at the
cellular level in the first place is still not well understood. With a better understanding,
researchers could improve diagnostics and care. "This development represents an attempt to
start using nanoscale tools to understand how disease develops," said Grodzinski.
Kopelman has developed encapsulated voltage-sensitive dyes that aren't hydrophobic and
can operate anywhere in the cell, rather than just in membranes. Because it's possible to
place his encapsulated dyes in a cell with a greater degree of control, Kopelman likens them
to voltmeters. "Nano voltmeters do not perturb [the cellular] environment, and you can control
where you put them," he says.
The existence of strong electric fields across cellular membranes is accepted as a basic fact
of cell biology. The fact that cells have internal electric fields as well, however, is a whole new
revelation. Scientists previously did not know of the existence of internal cellular energy fields,
and are just in the earliest stages of understand the phenomenon. Kopelman presented his
results at the annual meeting of the American Society for Cell Biology this month. "There has
been no skepticism as to the measurements," says Kopelman. "But we don't have an
interpretation."
Daniel Chu of the University of Washington in Seattle agrees that Kopelman's work provides
proof of concept that cells have internal electric fields. "It's bound to be important, but nobody
has looked at it yet," Chu says.
Posted by Rebecca Sato
http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2009/01/human-cells-hav.html
