Membrane Pump Operation Synchronicity (criticality) in Epidermal Cells: the Possibility of Quantifying the Level of Synchronization - Membrane Pump Operation Synchronicity (criticality) in Epidermal Cells: the Possibility of Quantifying the Level of Synchronization - Open Access Pub

The authors analyze the results of atomic emission spectrometry of hair samples for Al, Cd, Fe, Cr, Cu, Li, Pb, V, and Zn in 952 healthy subjects and 952 liquidators of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident. Using correlation analysis (Pearson) of the obtained data, the authors have found pair correlations between metal concentration values. According to the authors, criticality or synchronization (as a particular case of the critical state of the system) can be inherent in all ATP-dependent membrane pumps (P-type) controlling metal-ligand homeostasis in epidermal cells. A quantitative criterion (synchronization index) is proposed to measure the level of criticality (synchronization) in the functioning of membrane ATPases. DOI10.14302/issn.2641-9181.ijnr-18-2226 For over a decade, the authors have been using hair samples as a bio-substrate for non-invasive studies of metal-ligand homeostasis (MLH). Our experience allows us to make the following preliminary conclusions: 1) Quantitative assessment of the metal content in the given substrate (hair) is not representative of the whole body essential metal availability of (save for extreme forms of metal deficiency or overabundance) and, therefore, cannot serve as a reliable diagnostic criterion for latent MLH disturbances; 2) Having found evidence of critical (synchronous) nature of the operation of K/Na-ATPase 1 controlling K/Na-homeostasis in epidermis as well as other ATPases from the P-type family that control transmembrane traffic of Cu, Zn, Fe 2, we can classify MLH in these cells as self-organized criticality phenomena (SC phenomena); 3) Regulatory control of MLH in epidermal cells occurs most likely (and mostly) by the natural law of self-organized criticality 3 whose relevance to cellular energy exchange seems highly probable since a living cell is an open dynamic system; 4) Since criticality or synchronization (as a particular case of the critical state of a system) can be inherent in all ATP-dependent membrane pumps (P-type) controlling the MLH of epidermis, it is of interest to quantify the synchronization (criticality) of membrane pump operation. The present article is an attempt to obtain such an estimate. The proposed approach is based on the fundamental principles of the self-organized criticality theory and the modern concept of a three-component biosystem existing in the cell and consisting of nitric oxide (NO), free thiols and non-heme iron 4. Within the framework of this system, S-nitrosothiols (RS-NO) and dinitrosyl iron complexes with thiol-containing ligands (DNICs) are