Research reported today by Tufts University biologists shows for the first time that bioelectrical signals among cells control and instruct embryonic brain development and manipulating these signals can repair genetic defects and induce development of healthy brain tissue in locations where it would not ordinarily grow.
... These bioelectric signals are implemented by changes in the voltage difference across cell membranes - called the cellular resting potential—and the patterns of differential voltages across anatomical regions.
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A case in point is the Notch signaling pathway, a protein signaling system that plays a role in neural cell growth and differentiation in mammals and most other multicellular organisms. Defects in Notch signaling disrupt
brain development and are also associated with disorders such as T-cell
acute lymphoblastic leukemia and multiple sclerosis. The research team found that using molecular techniques to force proper bioelectrical states in cells enabled them to override the defects induced by Notch malfunction, resulting in a much more normal brain despite a genetically-defective Notch protein.
... Bioelectricity and reprogramming factors work together to regulate tissue fate, says Levin. "Additional study is needed to understand more fully the mechanisms by which electric signaling interacts with genetic networks. However, here we show two such steps, involving calcium signaling and cell-cell communication via electrical synapses known as gap junctions. We are working on applying these techniques in biomedical contexts, especially ion channel modulating drugs—electroceuticals—to repair defects and induce brain regeneration."
