ELECTRIC-FIELDS AT THE PLASMA-MEMBRANE LEVEL - A NEGLECTED ELEMENT INTHE MECHANISMS OF CELL SIGNALING

Membrane proteins possess certain features that make them susceptible to the electric fields generated at the level of the plasma membrane. A reappraisal of cell signalling, taking into account the protein inte ractions with the membrane electrostatic profile, suggests that an ele ctrical dimension is deeply involved in this fundamental aspect of cel l biology. At least three types of potentials can contribute to this d imension: (1) the potential across the compact layer of water adherent to membrane surfaces; this potential is affected by classical inducer s of cell differentiation, like dimethylsulfoxide and hexamethylenebis acetamide; (2) the potential across the Gouy-Chapman double layer, whi ch accounts for the effects of extracellular cations in the modulation of differentiation; and (3) the resting potential. This last potentia l and its governing ion currents can be exploited in localised mechani sms of cell signalling centred on the functional association of integr in receptors with ion channels.