Ionic pulses along cytoskeletal protophilaments

Abstract

The experimental evidences regarding ionic waves generation and propagation along both microtubules (MTS) and actin filaments (AF3) motivated us to develop the physical models that provide the framework for the explanation and analysis of these interesting biophysical phenomena. In pertaining analysis we partly relied on some experimental as well as numerical data, but also on theoretical estimations enabling us to establish the concept of nonlinear transmission lines which could lead to reasonable clearing up of experimental facts. We are convinced that these ionic currents actually exist and serve to sustain some important biological cellular mechanisms.