title: Biological wires, communication systems, and implications for disease.
abstract: Microtubules, actin, and collagen are macromolecular structures that compose a large percentage of the proteins in the human body, helping form and maintain both intracellular and extracellular structure. They are biological wires and are structurally connected through various other proteins. Microtubules (MTs) have been theorized to be involved in classical and quantum information processing, and evidence continues to suggest possible semiconduction through MTs. The previous Dendritic Cytoskeleton Information Processing Model has hypothesized how MTs and actin form a communication network in neurons. Here, we review information transfer possibilities involving MTs, actin, and collagen, and the evidence of an organism-wide high-speed communication network that may regulate morphogenesis and cellular proliferation. The direct and indirect evidence in support of this hypothesis, and implications for chronic diseases such as cancer and neurodegenerative diseases are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1Z2, Canada.
authors.forename: Douglas E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Friesen
authors.affiliation: Center for Psychological Studies, Graduate School of Computer and Information Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33314, USA; Clinical Systems Biology Group, Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33328, USA.
authors.forename: Travis J A
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Craddock
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Dayalbagh Educational Institute, Agra 282005, India.
authors.forename: Aarat P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Kalra
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1Z2, Canada; Department of Physics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E1, Canada. Electronic address: jackt@ualberta.ca.
authors.forename: Jack A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Tuszynski
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000502:physiology*; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000502:physiology*; D003094:Collagen / Q000502:physiology*; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000502:physiology; D017629:Gap Junctions / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008870:Microtubules / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D003094:Collagen
keywords: Actin; Collagen; Information processing; Integrins; Microtubules; Signaling