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Cellular communication through light
1Swiss Tropical Institute (STI), Basel, Switzerland. daniel.fels@unibas.ch
Plos One
|April 3, 2009
Summary
Cells communicate using light (photons) even when separated by barriers, influencing division and energy uptake. This photon-based intercellular communication differs from molecule transfer and fine-tunes cell chemistry.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Biophysics
- Intercellular Communication
Background:
- Cellular communication is vital for life.
- Some research suggests cells use endogenous photons as information carriers.
- The mechanisms of non-molecule-based intercellular signaling are not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate photon-based intercellular communication.
- To test the influence of photons on cell division and energy uptake.
- To explore the role of different wavelengths (glass vs. quartz transmission) in cellular signaling.
Main Methods:
- Experiments were conducted using the ciliate Paramecium caudatum in darkness.
- Cell populations were separated by glass or quartz cuvettes, allowing photon but not molecule transfer.
- Effects on cell division, energy uptake, and growth correlation were measured.
Main Results:
- Cells influenced neighboring populations' division and energy uptake through glass barriers.
- Effects varied (positive or negative) based on cuvette material and cell numbers.
- Growth of better-growing populations became correlated, unlike lower-growth populations.
- Significant differences were observed between glass and quartz separation, suggesting multiple photon frequencies.
Conclusions:
- Cellular communication occurs via photons, distinct from molecule-receptor systems.
- Photon-based signaling influences cell division, energy uptake, and growth correlation.
- The findings suggest photon-triggering acts as a fine-tuning mechanism in cell chemistry.
- Evidence supports the existence of at least two frequencies for cellular information transfer.
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