bioelectric

Bioelectric refers to electrical phenomena in living systems that arise from the movement of ions across cell membranes. These signals include membrane potentials, action potentials in excitable cells, and endogenous electric fields that permeate tissues. Bioelectric processes regulate cellular behavior, communication, development, regeneration, and neural signaling, and they interact with chemical signals to coordinate complex biological functions.

Key mechanisms involve ion gradients created by pumps and transporters, such as the Na+/K+-ATPase, and a variety of ion channels that control ion flux. Resting membrane potentials in many cells, transmembrane voltage changes, and action potential generation underlie fast signaling in nerves and muscles, while gap junctions permit direct electrical coupling between cells. Electric fields can influence cell migration and orientation (electrotaxis), and bioelectric networks contribute to pattern formation during development and wound healing.

The field spans physiology, developmental biology, neuroscience, and bioengineering. Bioelectric signals operate across scales from single cells to whole tissues. Researchers employ electrophysiological techniques such as patch-clamp recordings and microelectrode arrays, as well as voltage-sensitive dyes and computational models, to measure and interpret these signals. In recent decades, interest has grown in how bioelectric processes guide morphogenesis, regeneration, and tissue repair, alongside their role in normal neural function.

Applications include medical devices and therapies that harness electrical principles, such as pacemakers and cochlear implants, as well as regenerative medicine approaches that modulate bioelectric networks to influence tissue growth and repair. Ongoing work explores bioelectricity’s role in cancer biology, development, and tissue engineering, aiming to translate fundamental insights into clinical strategies.