Investigation into a quantum-based mechanism of muscle progenitor cell motility - Fabrisia Ambrosio

Diverse organisms exploit the geomagnetic field (GMF) for migration. Migrating birds are thought to employ an intrinsically quantum mechanical mechanism whereby absorption of a blue photon generates a radical pair whose two electrons precess at different rates in the magnetic field, thereby sensitizing birds to the direction of the GMF. In this work, we present an in vitro injury model that supports a quantum-based mechanism of cellular migration. The magnetosensitivity of muscle progenitor cells is (a) activated by blue but not by green or red light, and (b) disrupted by the application of an oscillatory field at the frequency corresponding to the energy of the electron-spin/magnetic field interaction. A comprehensive analysis of protein expression reveals that the ability of blue photons to promote cell motility is mediated by activation of calmodulin calcium sensors. Collectively, these data suggest that cells possess light-dependent magnetosensitivity that may be driven by electron spin dynamics.