Is electron-transfer from glutamate receptors or other plasma membrane ionic channels involved in oxidative stress and neurodegenerative diseases?

Abstract

There is theoretical evidence that biopolymers such as proteins can have semiconductor properties, with electrons (and holes) that can move inside the macromolecule. Double layers of charge can thus be formed at the plasma membrane protein interface with the electrolytes. Electron-transfer can occur at such interfaces too, and electrons can participate in charge transport processes across the biopolymer from one side of the plasma membrane to the other. These phenomena are studied here in the pathological case when the average equilibrium in the electron-transfer process at the cytoplasmic interface suffers a continued offset that leads to free-radical formation inside the cell. This would help in the long term to increase oxidative stress inside the cell, and would thus contribute to the appearance of neurodegenerative diseases.