Abstract
In this paper we make the assertion that the key to understand the emergent properties of excitable tissue (brain and heart) lies in the application of irreversible thermodynamics. We support this assertion by pointing out where symmetry break, phase transitions both in structure of membranes as well as in the dynamic of interactions between membranes occur in excitable tissue and how they create emergent low dimensional electrochemical patterns. These patterns are expressed as physiological or physiopathological concomitants of the organ or organism behavior. We propose that a set of beliefs about the nature of biological membranes and their interactions are hampering progress in the physiology of excitable tissue. We will argue that while there is no direct evidence to justify the belief that quantum mechanics has anything to do with macroscopic patterns expressed in excitable tissue, there is plenty of evidence in favor of irreversible thermodynamics. Some key predictions have been fulfilled long time ago and they have been ignored by the mainstream literature. Dissipative structures and phase transitions appear to be a better conceptual context to discuss biological self-organization. The central role of time as a global coupling agent is emphasized in the interpretation of the presented results.
Highlights
In this paper we make the assertion that the key to understand the emergent properties of excitable tissue lies in the application of irreversible thermodynamics
I do hope that my article will help to clarify the present status of the theoretical approaches to complex systems.” ...“We have two methodologies at hand, namely the macroscopic or phenomenological approach and the microscopic approach which attempts at deriving macroscopically observed phenomena from basic equations which in the case of chemistry must eventually be the physical laws established by quantum mechanics and electrodynamics.”
A type of dissipative structure, that we believe is crucial for the understanding of all biology, is the electrohydrodynamic bridges (EHD) especially the water bridges studied by the group headed by Elmar C
Summary
In this paper we make the assertion that the key to understand the emergent properties. The lipid bilayer has both zwitter-ionic (phosphatidylcholine andphosphatidyl-ethalonamine), and charged (phosphatidylserine) fatty acids asymmetric distributed in both leaflets Simulation showed that this asymmetry alone contributes to the self-organized electric field of biological membranes [18]. In this part of the retina only the radial glia and axons are present; no synaptic contacts, no neural cell bodies with their organelles can be found Note that this drastic change in tissue structure does not affect the smoothness of the wave spread or the intensity of the optical signal. Two lessons can be learned from these observations: a) The role of gap junctions is at best overrated in the spread of excitation in tissue; by contrast, the integrity of the basement membrane is underrated; this is a clear example of strong belief influencing a whole research field.
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