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. 2020 May;17(166):20200013.
doi: 10.1098/rsif.2020.0013. Epub 2020 May 20.

Bioelectrical understanding and engineering of cell biology

Zoe Schofield  1   2 , Gabriel N Meloni  1   3 , Peter Tran  4 , Christian Zerfass  1   2 , Giovanni Sena  5 , Yoshikatsu Hayashi  6 , Murray Grant  1   2 , Sonia A Contera  7 , Shelley D Minteer  8 , Minsu Kim  9 , Arthur Prindle  4 , Paulo Rocha  10 , Mustafa B A Djamgoz  5 , Teuta Pilizota  11 , Patrick R Unwin  1   3 , Munehiro Asally  1   2 , Orkun S Soyer  1   2
Affiliations

Bioelectrical understanding and engineering of cell biology

Zoe Schofield et al. J R Soc Interface. 2020 May.

Erratum in

  • Correction to 'Bioelectrical understanding and engineering of cell biology'.
    Schofield Z, Meloni GN, Tran P, Zerfass C, Sena G, Hayashi Y, Grant M, Contera SA, Minteer SD, Kim M, Prindle A, Rocha PRF, Djamgoz MBA, Pilizota T, Unwin PR, Asally M, Soyer OS. Schofield Z, et al. J R Soc Interface. 2020 Jun;17(167):20200435. doi: 10.1098/rsif.2020.0435. Epub 2020 Jun 17. J R Soc Interface. 2020. PMID: 32546111 Free PMC article. No abstract available.

Abstract

The last five decades of molecular and systems biology research have provided unprecedented insights into the molecular and genetic basis of many cellular processes. Despite these insights, however, it is arguable that there is still only limited predictive understanding of cell behaviours. In particular, the basis of heterogeneity in single-cell behaviour and the initiation of many different metabolic, transcriptional or mechanical responses to environmental stimuli remain largely unexplained. To go beyond the status quo, the understanding of cell behaviours emerging from molecular genetics must be complemented with physical and physiological ones, focusing on the intracellular and extracellular conditions within and around cells. Here, we argue that such a combination of genetics, physics and physiology can be grounded on a bioelectrical conceptualization of cells. We motivate the reasoning behind such a proposal and describe examples where a bioelectrical view has been shown to, or can, provide predictive biological understanding. In addition, we discuss how this view opens up novel ways to control cell behaviours by electrical and electrochemical means, setting the stage for the emergence of bioelectrical engineering.

Keywords: bioelectrical cell biology; bioelectricity; cell biophysics; cell physiology; electrochemistry.

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Conflict of interest statement

We declare we have no competing interests

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Recent research shows that both prokaryotes and eukaryotes use ion- and redox-based electrochemical signals for communication. It has been shown that such communication enables the organization of growth and developmental processes across multiple length scales.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
The basis for a bioelectrical view of cells can be motivated by drawing an analogy between a battery (a) and a biological cell (b). Both systems rely on ion flows and redox reactions across interfaces.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Cartoon illustration of the coupling between the bioelectrical nature of the cell, in particular MP and IMF, and higher level cellular behaviours.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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