Cells detect electrical signals with remarkable sensitivity

The human body is a busy place, carrying out vital tasks that keep us lively and capable of patching up everyday wear and tear. With up to 37 trillion cells whirling about, each unit of life must sense and respond to signals in ways that maintain balance.

Scientists have long recognized that cells respond to electric fields. However, the intricate details of how sensitive they are have recently sparked renewed interest. This growing curiosity inspired new research led by Professor Yashashree Kulkarni at the University of Houston.

The project was guided by graduate student, Anand Mathew, who took the lead in pushing the boundaries of what we know about cellular responses to electrical signals.

How cells react to electric signals

Cells have often been compared to tiny units that rely on a host of triggers to keep everything running. Some triggers come in the form of chemicals, while others involve electrical cues that influence growth and repair.

For decades, many believed there was a theoretical floor that limited how weak an electric field a cell could detect.

This belief stemmed from a concept known as thermal noise, a background hum from random activity linked to temperature inside living systems.

Breaking from older theories

Professor Kulkarni noticed evidence that cells might be detecting signals once dismissed as too faint – a small departure from older ideas.

“Our research challenges long-held assumptions about the limits of cellular electrical sensing and explains how cells detect electric fields with remarkable sensitivity,” noted Kulkarni.

Much of the standard thinking relied on the notion that heat-based fluctuations set a limit. This is where active matter enters the picture, providing an alternative explanation for how cells handle subtle inputs in ways that defy earlier predictions.

Cells tune into faint electrical signals

The traditional noise floor assumption was built on the idea that random thermal movements blur out any weak incoming signal. But this model treats the cell as a passive object, floating in a bath of static interference.

By shifting focus to how internal energy use shapes response, Kulkarni and Mathew’s work adds a dynamic layer to that view. The research shows that cells aren’t just struggling to hear through noise – they’re actively tuning their ears.

Cell membranes and electrical signals

“Biological membranes are not passive,” said Kulkarni. Even though, traditional models viewed membranes as fairly passive. This idea points to the presence of proteins and other energy-consuming processes that operate in a nonequilibrium state, enabling behaviors that go beyond a simple, static barrier.

An internal model recently proposed by Mathew and Kulkarni helps explain how a membrane can detect much tinier electrical signals than many initially assumed.

This theoretical approach uses nonequilibrium statistical mechanics to describe how membranes respond when they are constantly using energy rather than remaining idle.

Potential impact on medicine

“Our findings show that these active processes can fundamentally change the way cells respond to mechanical and electrical stimuli,” noted Professor Kulkarni. These active processes may give living membranes an extra boost in electrical awareness. 

The increased sensitivity observed could prompt new approaches in designing medical devices or technologies that mimic biological systems.

“Insights into how cells actively respond to their environment may guide the development of advanced biosensors, medical tools, and treatments for a range of diseases,” said Mathew.

Cell signals inspire better tech

This new understanding of cellular sensitivity could reshape how engineers think about interfaces between biological tissue and electronics.

Devices that must monitor nerve signals, heart rhythms, or wound healing responses could become smaller, smarter, and more energy-efficient.

Researchers are now considering how to design materials that act more like active membranes. By mimicking this natural energy-consuming behavior, future technologies might detect environmental changes that are currently too subtle for today’s tools.

How cells maintain their awareness

Designers of future implants, wound-healing strategies, and targeted therapies may draw from this enhanced sensitivity. The dream is to engineer systems that detect subtle changes in the body the same way cells notice signals once deemed unreasonably weak.

“I am truly grateful to have received the NSF BRITE Pivot award which has supported my group’s research in understanding the mechanics of active matter,” said Professor Kulkarni.

This emphasis on continued exploration highlights a growing interest in bridging theory and practice to help patients and advance scientific knowledge.

Research on membranes that thrive in an active state opens up exciting possibilities. With a deeper understanding of how cells maintain their awareness, we might see new approaches to diagnostics and treatments in the future.

The study is published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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