Electron spin dynamics guide cell motility
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arXiv
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Preprint |
| Published: |
2025
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| Subjects: | |
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| _version_ | 1866910859106713600 |
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| author | Wang, Kai Gilmer, Gabrielle Arana, Matheus Candia Iijima, Hirotaka Bergmann, Juliana Woollard, Antonio Mesits, Boris McGraw, Meghan Zoltowski, Brian Cappellaro, Paola Ungar, Alex Pekker, David Waldeck, David H. Saxena, Sunil Lloyd, Seth Ambrosio, Fabrisia |
| author_facet | Wang, Kai Gilmer, Gabrielle Arana, Matheus Candia Iijima, Hirotaka Bergmann, Juliana Woollard, Antonio Mesits, Boris McGraw, Meghan Zoltowski, Brian Cappellaro, Paola Ungar, Alex Pekker, David Waldeck, David H. Saxena, Sunil Lloyd, Seth Ambrosio, Fabrisia |
| contents | Diverse organisms exploit the geomagnetic field (GMF) for migration. Migrating birds employ an intrinsically quantum mechanical mechanism for detecting the geomagnetic field: absorption of a blue photon generates a radical pair whose two electrons precess at different rates in the magnetic field, thereby sensitizing cells to the direction of the GMF. In this work, using an in vitro injury model, we discovered a quantum-based mechanism of cellular migration. Specifically, we show that migrating cells detect the GMF via an optically activated, electron spin-based mechanism. Cell injury provokes acute emission of blue photons, and these photons sensitize muscle progenitor cells to the magnetic field. We show that the magnetosensitivity of muscle progenitor cells is (a) activated by blue light, but not by green or red light, and (b) disrupted by the application of an oscillatory field at the frequency corresponding to the energy of the electron-spin/magnetic field interaction. A comprehensive analysis of protein expression reveals that the ability of blue photons to promote cell motility is mediated by activation of calmodulin calcium sensors. Collectively, these data suggest that cells possess a light-dependent magnetic compass driven by electron spin dynamics. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2503_02923 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Electron spin dynamics guide cell motility Wang, Kai Gilmer, Gabrielle Arana, Matheus Candia Iijima, Hirotaka Bergmann, Juliana Woollard, Antonio Mesits, Boris McGraw, Meghan Zoltowski, Brian Cappellaro, Paola Ungar, Alex Pekker, David Waldeck, David H. Saxena, Sunil Lloyd, Seth Ambrosio, Fabrisia Biological Physics Cell Behavior Quantum Physics Diverse organisms exploit the geomagnetic field (GMF) for migration. Migrating birds employ an intrinsically quantum mechanical mechanism for detecting the geomagnetic field: absorption of a blue photon generates a radical pair whose two electrons precess at different rates in the magnetic field, thereby sensitizing cells to the direction of the GMF. In this work, using an in vitro injury model, we discovered a quantum-based mechanism of cellular migration. Specifically, we show that migrating cells detect the GMF via an optically activated, electron spin-based mechanism. Cell injury provokes acute emission of blue photons, and these photons sensitize muscle progenitor cells to the magnetic field. We show that the magnetosensitivity of muscle progenitor cells is (a) activated by blue light, but not by green or red light, and (b) disrupted by the application of an oscillatory field at the frequency corresponding to the energy of the electron-spin/magnetic field interaction. A comprehensive analysis of protein expression reveals that the ability of blue photons to promote cell motility is mediated by activation of calmodulin calcium sensors. Collectively, these data suggest that cells possess a light-dependent magnetic compass driven by electron spin dynamics. |
| title | Electron spin dynamics guide cell motility |
| topic | Biological Physics Cell Behavior Quantum Physics |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.02923 |