title: [Four main schools of thought and analysis in studies of channels and collaterals].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To summarize 4 schools of thought in studies of meridians.
  
  
  METHODS
  Consult literature and review the history of studies of meridians.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The studies of meridians in the past dozens years at home and abroad have gradually formed four main theories, namely the nerve-conduction meridian theory of neurophysiology, body fluid circulation meridian theory of the physio-biochemistry, bio-field meridian theory of biophysics, and the connective tissue structure meridian theory of the overall-gap viewpoint, which are summarized and analyzed.
authors.affiliation: Medical College of Nanchang University, Jiangxi 300006, China. huaping3168@163.com
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hua
authors.forename: Hu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lü
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tang
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D015726:Giant Cells / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008280:Magnetics; D016740:Meridians; D009431:Neural Conduction; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D002118:Calcium