title: Theoretical evaluation of cell membrane ion channel activation by applied magnetic fields.
abstract: This letter re-examines a recently published calculation of the forces exerted on a membrane ion channel by a cation passing through in the presence of an externally applied magnetic field. We show here, in contradiction to the originally published calculation, that the forces generated due to the Lorentz force of the magnetic field on the cation are negligible compared with the forces required to activate an ion channel protein conformation change associated with the gating of the channel.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Australia. stpierre@physics.uwa.edu.au
authors.forename: T G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: St Pierre
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dobson
mesh_terms: D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D015640:Ion Channel Gating; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D008280:Magnetics; D008954:Models, Biological; D008962:Models, Theoretical
chemical_list: D007473:Ion Channels