On the significance of the time constants of magnetic field sensitivity in animals

A variety of organisms is known to have the ability to transduce and respond to relatively weak magnetic fields, including the earth's field. Though biogenic magnetite has been identified as the transducer in a number of cases with regards to geomagnetic field sensing, the mechanism underlying...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Bioelectromagnetics 2005-04, Vol.26 (3), p.234-237
Main Authors: Fuller, Mike, Dobson, Jon
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Behavior, Animal - physiology
Behavior, Animal - radiation effects
Brain - physiology
Brain - radiation effects
calcium
Calcium Signaling - physiology
Calcium Signaling - radiation effects
calmodulin
Calmodulin - metabolism
Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation
Electromagnetic Fields
Humans
Kinetics
magnetite
Metabolic Clearance Rate
Models, Neurological
neurophysiology
Radiation Dosage
Time Factors
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:A variety of organisms is known to have the ability to transduce and respond to relatively weak magnetic fields, including the earth's field. Though biogenic magnetite has been identified as the transducer in a number of cases with regards to geomagnetic field sensing, the mechanism underlying neurophysiological responses in human studies is not understood. Here we note that the time constants involved in this latter type of field sensitivity are much longer than those in organisms that make use of the earth's magnetic field for navigation. The purpose of this brief communication is to suggest that the time constants associated with magnetic field sensitivity may be a useful way to distinguish field sensitivity due to magnetite based receptors from sensitivity that may depend on direct (or downstream) biochemical processes. Bioelectromagnetics 26:234–237, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
ISSN:0197-8462
1521-186X
DOI:10.1002/bem.20102