Electrons or ions? That is the (quantum) question!
Abstract
I enjoyed Professor Noble's correspondence highlighting the need to consider quantum events for a fuller appreciation of bioelectric phenomena, although I did make some, albeit limited, reference to tunnelling effects on ion channel selectivity in my original publication (Bailey, 2019a). This has helped reconcile some of the incongruences between experimental observations and those classically predicted by the Hodgkin–Huxley (HH) equation (Hodgkin & Huxley, 1952), which relies on classical electrodynamics, in which the membrane lipid bilayers serve the role of a capacitor. Professor Noble has taken the opportunity to further challenge ‘classical dogma’, arguing that depolarization and repolarization of the cell membrane can be (better) explained by the reciprocal flux of electrons as opposed to (sodium and potassium) ions. Direct measurements of intracellular–extracellular cation/anion flux would certainly help to put some scientific flesh to the speculative bones and help to demystify such phenomena as the ‘funny current’ and assumed, albeit unsubstantiated, cation inflow. Rather than expand on the arguments proposed, including Professor Noble's prior reference to fundamental concepts underpinning the bio-electric law (Noble, 2018), I would like to take the opportunity briefly to highlight some additional ‘quantum weirdness’ that could potentially influence bioelectric phenomena. It is true that electrons could be anywhere at any time and that all possibilities have to be…
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