Cited by 49Microtubule and mitosis dynamicsElectrostatics and Colloid InteractionsNeuroscience and Neural Engineering

All Wired Up: An Exploration of the Electrical Properties of Microtubules and Tubulin

Kalra, Aarat P., Eakins, Boden B., Patel, Sahil D., Ciniero, Gloria, Rezania, Vahid, Shankar, Karthik, Tuszynski, Jack A.·2020·ACS Nano

Abstract

Microtubules are hollow, cylindrical polymers of the protein α, β tubulin, that interact mechanochemically with a variety of macromolecules. Due to their mechanically robust nature, microtubules have gained attention as tracks for precisely directed transport of nanomaterials within lab-on-a-chip devices. Primarily due to the unusually negative tail-like C-termini of tubulin, recent work demonstrates that these biopolymers are also involved in a broad spectrum of intracellular electrical signaling. Microtubules and their electrostatic properties are discussed in this Review, followed by an evaluation of how these biopolymers respond mechanically to electrical stimuli, through microtubule migration, electrorotation and C-termini conformation changes. Literature focusing on how microtubules act as nanowires capable of intracellular ionic transport, charge storage, and ionic signal amplification is reviewed, illustrating how these biopolymers attenuate ionic movement in response to electrical stimuli. The Review ends with a discussion on the important questions, challenges, and future opportunities for intracellular microtubule-based electrical signaling.

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Registry

Crossref · 10.1021/acsnano.0c06945

Cites

266 of 266 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • Biochemically tuned electronic energy migration would allow microtubule architectures to be used as targets for photobiomodulation and to transduce photonic energy in biohybrid devices.

    “Biochemically tuned electronic energy migration would allow microtubule architectures to be used as targets for photobiomodulation9,63 and to transduce photonic energy in biohybrid devices.64”

    From Electronic energy migration in microtubules (2023) · cites this paper as [9]

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Authors
Kalra, A. P., Eakins, B. B., Patel, S. D., Ciniero, G., Rezania, V., Shankar, K., & Tuszynski, J. A.
Affiliations
  • University of Alberta (CA)
  • Politecnico di Torino (IT)
  • MacEwan University (CA)
  • Department of Physics, University of Alberta, 11335 Saskatchewan Dr NW, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2M9, Canada
Venue
ACS Nano
Published
2020-11-20
Volume
14
Issue
12
Pages
16301-16320
ISSN
  • 1936-0851 (ISSN-L)
  • 1936-086X
OpenAlex
W3098919661
Cited by
49
References
266
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 5
FWCI
0.67
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • ACS Nano (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • Novocure
  • Government of Canada
  • Alberta Innovates
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Microtubule and mitosis dynamics
  • Physical Sciences › Chemistry › Physical and Theoretical Chemistry › Electrostatics and Colloid Interactions
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neural Engineering
Keywords
microtubules, tubulin, electrical properties, electrorotation, C-terminal conformation, nanowires, ion transport, charge storage, electrostatic properties, nanomaterial transport

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