Bioelectrical

Bioelectrical refers to the electrical processes that underlie living organisms and to the use of electrical methods to study and influence biological systems. It encompasses the generation, transmission, and interpretation of electrical signals produced by cells and tissues, especially within excitable cells such as neurons and muscle cells. Central to bioelectrical phenomena are resting membrane potentials, action potentials, and the electrochemical gradients across cell membranes maintained by ion pumps and channels, including those for sodium, potassium, calcium, and chloride.

Researchers measure and manipulate these signals with techniques of electrophysiology, including intracellular and patch-clamp recordings, electroencephalography (EEG), electromyography (EMG), and electrocardiography (ECG). Imaging approaches such as voltage-sensitive dyes and newer optogenetic or electrochemical methods enable visualization of electrical activity. Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) estimates body composition and tissue properties by measuring the resistance and reactance of bodily tissues to electric current.

Applications span basic science and medicine. In neuroscience and cardiology, bioelectrical signals are fundamental to communication and function. In regenerative biology, endogenous bioelectric cues influence development and wound healing. In medicine, bioelectronic medicine uses devices to monitor and modulate neural circuits for therapeutic effects, including neural prostheses, deep brain stimulation, and nerve stimulation therapies. Safety, regulation, and ethical considerations accompany clinical and consumer applications. The field continues to integrate biology with engineering to understand how electrical signals shape physiology and how electrical interventions can treat disease.