Water clusters in life

The role of water in chemical, biochemical and cellular events has only bee n recognized as a universal solvent. The conventional wisdom holds that wat er is a passive agent in biological interaction. However, more and more res earchers regard water as an active component in biochemical reactions and h ence occupy a crucial role in life. We propose that the active component of water is due to the existence of stable water clusters in aqueous solution s. Our research demonstrated that stable water clusters could be produced i n very dilute inorganic and organic water solutions, and also isolated from biological fluids such as bovine serum. Stable water clusters may play an important role in physiological and pathological processes of life. (C) 200 0 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.