The cellular resting and action potentials: interpretation based on the association-induction hypothesis

Area of Science:

• Cellular Electrophysiology
• Biophysics

Background:

• Theories of resting and action potentials are based on membrane theory, positing free states for cellular K+ and water.
• Hodgkin, Huxley, and Katz theories are foundational but face experimental challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and compare the membrane theory of cellular potentials with Ling's association-induction (AI) hypothesis.
• To evaluate the AI model's ability to explain experimental evidence regarding cellular potentials and ion absorption.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on cellular potential theories, including experimental findings.
• Analysis of the AI hypothesis's molecular mechanisms for cell permeation and electric potentials.
• Comparison of the AI model's predictions with evidence supporting and contradicting the membrane theory.

Main Results:

• The AI hypothesis proposes K+ and water are absorbed onto protein sites and chains, respectively.
• Cellular potentials are presented as surface-adsorption phenomena within the AI model.
• The AI model successfully accounts for evidence supporting and contradicting the established membrane theory, including K+ absorption in muscle.

Conclusions:

• The association-induction hypothesis offers a viable alternative to the membrane theory for explaining cellular potentials.
• Surface adsorption mechanisms provide a framework that reconciles conflicting experimental data in cellular electrophysiology.
• Further investigation into the AI model's implications for understanding cellular function is warranted.