Chapter 6 - Electrical Fields: Their Nature and Influence on Biological Systems

Abstract

The combination of amino acids that make up a protein and the collection of proteins that make up a cell confer a net charge on each cell, thereby causing it to experience a force in the presence of an electric field. Through the development of techniques able to detect extracellular ionic currents electric fields are generated within the developing embryo at a time when cells position themselves to form the varying tissues and structures of that organism. Moreover, the flow of ionic currents at areas of tissue damage generates electric fields at a time when a repair/regenerative response are mounted. Although the physiological relevance of these electric fields have yet to be clearly defined, their dramatic effects on a variety of cell types, both in vitro and in vivo, suggest that they are one of the natural forces that drive cell motility. By increasing knowledge on how physiologic electrical fields modify cell behavior, the chapter guides embryonic development and how they can be successfully applied to enhance the repair and regeneration of a variety of tissues.