rus
Issue #3/2016
A. Budagovsky, O. Budagovskaya, I. Budagovsky
Intercellular Communication Using Coherent Radiation
Intercellular Communication Using Coherent Radiation
The distant intercellular interaction is the key to understanding the nature of so-called "biofields", which are deemed to be the connecting link between the information contained in genome and its implementation in morphogenesis process of multicellular organism. Experimental results of various authors illustrating the field (non-chemical) form of intercellular interaction using optical radiation are considered. The main contradiction of field communication of biosystems, which consists in the recognition of superweak signals of biochemical luminescence against the background of significantly more intense natural illumination, is determined.
Теги: biochemical luminescence coherent radiation field communication intercellular interaction morphogenesis "biofields" "биополе" биохемилюминесценция когерентное излучение межклеточное взаимодействие морфогенез полевая коммуникация
In order to recognize superweak signals of biochemical luminescence against the background of significantly more intense natural illumination, it is necessary to assume that cells have the capability to generate coherent (correlated by phases) photons and response to them by the increase of their functional activity. At the same time, the significant stochastization (violation of phase correlation) of photon group should not occur in biological medium at least within several cell layers. Experiments conducted with pollens, seeds, fruits of plants and human blood showed that the required conditions of existence of field communication channel are met in living organisms. In particular, it is established that:
• Low-intensity coherent radiation increases the effect of distant intercellular interaction.
• Intrinsic radiation of cells performing the communication function has higher statistical orderliness (coherence) in comparison with natural light.
• During the scattering of coherent light in biological tissues, its statistical orderliness remains sufficient within tens of cell layers for the recognition by phase detector.
• The value of photo-induced response of procaryotes and eukaryotes depends on the statistical orderliness of active radiation. The highest stimulation effect takes place when cell is completely located in the volume of field coherence.
Carried out studies allow drawing the conclusion that biochemical luminescence or its coherent component, to be more precise, is the mysterious biofield, and coherent radiation of certain cells unified into the field of integral organism can play the role of form-regulatory factor.
History of subject matter
The problem of field (non-chemical) communication of biological system occurred more than one hundred years ago at the attempt to explain the implementation mechanism of hereditary information in morphogenetic process. The description of complex architectonics of multicellular organism which is changing in ontogenesis on the basis of chemical, mechanical and electric interactions only turned out to be impossible. According to H. Driesch, it was necessary to find the "development engineer" who could construct the spatial structure on the basis of genetic information. In different years, such generalizing concepts as "entelechy" of H. Driesch [1], "dynamically preformed morph" of A.G. Gurvich [2], "organizers’ of H. Spemann [3], "physiological gradients’ of C.M. Childe [4], "chreods’ of C.H. Waddington [5] were suggested to such role. Despite the difference in terms, in all cases the existence of some "generalizing basis’ determining the integrity and continuity of development of living organisms was implied. Trying to explain the phenomenon nature, "… biologists could not think of something better than to postulate the presence of morphogenetic field, which determines the appearance of formed structure" [6, p. 184].
In biological context, the field – "organizationsfeld" was mentioned by H. Spemann for the first time in 1921 [7]. The further development of this hypothesis belongs to A.G. Gurvich [8, 9]. He noted that "… the idea of field arises from the necessity of recognition of spatial relationship between the molecules, which does not result from their near action" [10, p. 162].
The ideas of the fields of biological systems were very popular among embryologists and morphologists in 30th-50th of the last century. In various interpretations this concept was used by H. Spemann, J. Huxley, R. Snow and M. Snow etc. for the description of morphogenesis processes. Thus, for example P. Weiss thought that the field is characteristic to the organism as the whole and corresponds to varying system of forces (vectors) [11]. In the process of ontogenesis it is divided into subdominant fields, which serve as the determination factors of newly formed tissues and organs. The concept of P.G. Svetlov [12] was based on the formative stimulants – internal and external: "the stimulant perceived by some receptors is transformed into the load-bearing structure, or in other words morphogenetic field" [12, p. 249]. Despite the wide use of the term "field", its nature and regulation mechanism remained the abstract concepts. As A. Synnott [13, p. 474] accurately said, this term "...refers to name only and not explanation".
The point of view of N.K. Koltsov on the morphogenetic field is in tune with the ideas of H. Spemann, C.M. Childe, P. Weiss for the most part but also has significant distinctions from them. The statement on the physical nature of force field of fetus, its continuity and connection with biochemical processes in cell systems has become the major improvement [14].
Bioelectrical fields as the factor of morphogenesis of living matter were considered by H.Berr and F.Horthrop [15], E.Lund [16], S.N.Maslobrod [17]. According to the concept of G.Berr, biopotentials form the basis of biological organization, and the interconnection between the organism form and its electrical field confirms this idea [18]. However, G.Berr could not answer if such field is the reason for or consequence of morphogenetic processes.
The bioregulatory role of electromagnetic fields with low (pre-thermal) intensity was shown by N.D.Devyatkov et al. They managed to discover the significant influence of highly-coherent radiation with extremely high frequencies (EHF) on the life activity of cells and establish the ability of various organisms to generate such radiation [19, 20]. Mechanism of these processes is connected with the structural-functional adjustment of biomembranes, which results in the occurrence of acustoelectric waves with EHF. The data on cooperative behavior of human lymphocytes, which form the ordered periodic structures in the solution of sodium chloride, is given in the paper [21]. Such behavior of cells is explained by the generation of coherent electromagnetic oscillations with millimeter wavelength range [22]. As a result of dipole-dipole interaction, the long-range attractive and repulsive forces, which balance each other at the certain distance, occur. The scientists also connect the mutual coordination of movement of slipper animalcules, infusoria and other protozoa with electromagnetic field mentioning the potential role of its coherence [23].
The distant intercellular interaction (DII) has special place in the development of concepts of biological fields. It occurs beyond the boundary of action of Van der Waals’ forces and without participation of transmembrane molecular and charge exchange. This phenomenon obtained reliable experimental prove and became the major argument in favor of existence of field (non-chemical) communication of biological systems. Such form of intercellular interaction was discovered for the first time by A.G. Gurvich in 1923. Actively dividing cells of root apex induced mitosis in meristem tissue of the other root at the distance of 3...5 mm [24].
Experiments in relation to DII were successfully carried out in many laboratories and with different models [25–31]. The following experimental patterns were used. Biological samples fulfilling the function of signal inducers (bioinducers) were located at the distance of several millimeters or even centimeters from the same or totally different organisms, which served as the signal detectors or biodetectors. In many cases, possibility of chemical, electrical and mechanical contacts between them was totally excluded. Colonies of microorganisms, tissue specimen, human blood, individual organs or whole organisms were used in the capacity of bioinducers and biodetectors. The inducer was excited by means of any physical, chemical or biotical exposure. Researchers could observe the alteration of functional activity of detector coordinated with it but only in case of the presence of optical contact (visibility zone) with inducer.
The concept of stimulating action of low doses of ionizing radiation and biological role of natural radiation background (NRB) suggested by A.M. Kuzin has great significance in understanding the mechanism of field interaction [32, 33]. According to this concept, low doses of radiation by the components of NRB result not only in ionization but also in excitation of biopolymer molecules, which is accompanied by the generation of coherent photons [32]. Such light quanta can stimulate the functional activity of other cells. The following model of DII was used in the capacity of experimental proof [33–35]. At the distance of about 1 cm, the different inducers (seeds of garden radish and oat, lilac buds, bakery yeast etc.) excited by γ-irradiation of 60Со caused the significant (by 1.3–2.1 times) amplification of functional activity of biodetector, which was represented by the sprouting seeds of garden radish (Rafanus sativus L.). At the same time, non-irradiated inducers did not have evident influence on them. The effect occurred only in case of optical contact through transparent medium (air, quartz glass); it did not disappear within 2–6 hours after γ-irradiation of inducer. It should be noted that the inducer kept the capability of generation of secondary radiation only in native state. In case of its inactivation, for example, using high temperature, the distant interaction was not observed [35].
One hundred years period of study of non-chemical communication of cells reliably confirmed the fact of existence of biofields but did not explain its nature. Very contradictory points of view were expressed in this respect. For example, according to the opinion of A.G. Gurvich, the special field with non-physical nature is attributable to living organisms: "Our formulation of the main property of biological field does not provide any analogies by its content with the fields known in physics…" [10, p. 166]. And vice versa, the interpretation of V.M. Inyushin and P.R. Chekurov is too physical and incomprehensible to the same extent: "Hologram frozen-in bioplasma is probably biofield" [36, p. 57]. Such mythical concepts as torsion fields, Ψ-particles etc. were also used for the explanation of DII [37, 38]. These non-scientific definitions are the consequence of poor knowledge of physics hidden behind the curtain of the terms which are difficult to understand. The paper [39], in which it is stated that "...constructive (radiation amplification upon unidirectionality of waves) and destructive (beam annihilation upon multidirectionality of waves) interference occurs between the monochromatic beams in coherent field (coordinated behavior of wave processes)". Probably, in this sentence, which is hardly translated into the Russian language, it is referred to the variation of intensity of interfering light beams with different phase displacement. The authors [39] forget that light quanta – photons refer to bosons. Particles of such type do not interact with each other and all the more so cannot annihilate upon the meeting as opposed to fermions.
Formalization of problem
The distant intercellular interaction is observed in the organisms with different levels of organization: from procaryotes to higher eukaryotes, and this fact speaks about the evolutionary stability and thus biological significance of such communication channel. Most likely, its functioning takes place by means of low-intensity electromagnetic fields of optical spectral region. It follows from multiple experimental data and does not contradict to the properties of living organisms. Light fluxes play significant role in the various control circuits up to the gene expression [40–42]. The cells have special photo-acceptors – phytochrome (PC), cryptochrome (CrC), cytochrome (CC), rhodopsin (RD) etc. excitation of which results in the activation of different regulatory systems. Phototaxis of bacteria, photo-morphogenesis and photoperiodism of plants, retinal processes of higher animals can serve as examples. Biochemical luminescence – superweak fluorescence of cells caused by their vital activity is observed within the same range as the spectrums of action of these responses [43, 44]. It follows from a number of works that not only sunlight but also intrinsic radiation of living organisms can participate in photo-regulatory processes [26–30, 33, 45]. However, the mechanism of such channel of biosystem regulation remains unclear. Extremely low intensity of biochemical luminescence, which is lower than the natural illumination by several orders, is the stumbling block. It was thought that under such conditions it is impossible to detect superweak optical signals. But it is not the case. Even photon fluxes, which are insignificant by intensity, will be reliably detected against the background of more powerful stochastic interference if they have sufficient coherence [46]. Then, its statistical orderliness is the required condition for the transmission of regulatory signals by means of endogenous radiation. Currently, there is sufficient number of reasons to speak about the capability of living organisms to fulfill this condition.
Theoretical [47–50] and experimental [50, 51] studies showed that under the action of stochastic factors biopolymers in condensed phase are capable to the creation of cooperative excited states relaxing with the radiation of coherent photons. Light fluxes with low intensity but high coherence were registered in different organisms [30, 49, 52]. However, the capability to generate coherent photons is necessary and insufficient condition for the existence of field communication channel of biosystems. For this, cells must have additional number of properties, reality of existence of which proves the complex of carried out experiments.
Experimental research
Understanding of the mechanism of intercellular communication by means of coherent light requires the solution of a number of issues, which did not receive definite answers or were not considered in the scientific literature.
Can coherent radiation stimulate DII?
The distant intercellular interaction was simulated on the pollen of plum (Prunus domestica L.). The pollen was applied on the surface of microscope slides covered with thin layer of nutrient medium, which contained 0.8% of agar, 15% of sucrose and 0.001% of boric acid. The average density of inoculation was 20 seeds per square millimeter. Preparations executed in such manner served in the capacity of inducer, detector and control. The inducer was irradiated by coherent light with the power density of 10 W/m 2 and wavelength of 632.8 nm. Single-mode helium-neon laser LGN-222 was used for it. The irradiation duration varied within the range from 0.5 to 24 minutes. Then, the preparations were located in moist chambers: Petri dishes or purpose-made sealed compartment with the cells intended for 64 glasses. Incubation took place during 24 hours at the temperature of 28°C. During this period the inducers and detectors had optical contact between each other, and control preparations were isolated from them with light-tight partitions. Then, the pollen was inactivated using chloroform. Conclusion on the biological effect was made on the basis of number of sprouted pollen grains, and for this purpose 50 independent fields of view in every type of preparation were checked.
Laser irradiation caused the increase of germination capacity of pollen of preparations-inducers by 2–4 times in comparison with intact control (Fig. 1). As in other objects, its response had complex, multimode dependence on the irradiation duration [53]. Unirradiated pollen of biodetectors also showed statistically significant difference in the majority of preparations in comparison with control (Р > 0.99). And vice versa, the functional activity of pollen of the inducer treated with laser radiation and untreated detector was practically identical. Significance level of null hypothesis was quite high (α > 0.4), and correlation coefficients of time dependence were more than 0.8 in a number of experiments. Such noticeable coincidence of the functional activity of detector and inducer indicates the existence of distant interaction occurring between the pollen grains upon the optical contact. Such phenomenon was observed under many (but not all) conditions, and it was particularly expressed in the area of short (0.5–4 min) irradiation durations. The distance at which the interaction took place was 12.5 mm in average.
Analogous experiments were carried out with the pollen of Pennsylvanian cherry (Cerasus pensylvanica L.). Obtained results confirmed the existence of distant interaction in the system of two isolated preparations with irradiated and unirradiated pollen [54]. The effect was reproduced in the most stable manner upon the duration of laser irradiation of inducer during 30 seconds. It consisted in considerable (by 3–5 times) and statistically significant (α < 0.001) stimulation of functional activity of inducers and biodetectors associated with them in relation to control (Fig. 2).
Germination of pollen on control (unirradiated) preparations located individually and in pairs did not have difference and was considerably lower than in biodetectors. As it follows from obtained results, highly coherent laser radiation is capable not only to increase the functional activity of cells but also stimulate the communication interaction between them during post-radiation period.
Is radiation coherence significant for the distant interaction of cells?
The answer to this question can be received by variation of the property of optical communication channel. It must perform the stochastization of light radiated by cells but without its attenuation and variation of spectral composition, in other words, the coherence should be decreased only. If it influences on the effect of DII the answer will be positive.
Excitation of bioinducers and evaluation of response were performed in accordance with the methodology developed by A.M. Kuzin [32, 33]. Donor blood of healthy human served as the inducer. It was stabilized using heparin and exposed to γ-irradiation 60Со at the radiation unit RHM-γ-20 in the stimulating dose of 10 Gy. The seeds of Zhara radish located on the wet filter paper in Petri dishes with the diameter of 100 mm were used in the capacity of biodetector.
The conclusion on the effect of distant interaction was made on the basis of growth index (GI) offered by A.M. Kuzin, which was determined as GI = Σ · 100 / N, where Σ is the total length of all germinants of every experiment repeatability, N is the total number of germinating and non-germinating seeds in such repeatability. Growth index was calculated in 48 hours of cultivation in darkness at the temperature of 28°C. Experiments were carried out with fresh donor blood (1 hour after withdrawal) or blood kept in refrigerator at the temperature of 4°C during 48 hours.
The fundamental changes were introduced into the methodology [34, 45]. It consisted in the fact that radiation of the same bioinducer got on biodetectors through phase screens with various microstructure. It was achieved with the assistance of photometric cells of quartz glass with the cross section 10 × 10 mm, which had two matted opposite sides and two non-matted opposite sides. All sides poorly absorb light in the same manner but the matted sides scatter it decreasing the spatial coherence. After γ-irradiated blood fills the cell, its sides become the phase screens (spatial filters) for intrinsic radiation of bioinducer cells. The cell was tightly covered with cap and located in the center of Petri dish divided into four sectors with nontransparent partitions (Fig. 3). Biodetector – wet seeds of radish were located opposite every side in their sector. Inducer radiation got on the detectors 1 and 3 through the matted sides – stochastic (disordered) phase screen (SPS) and on the detectors 2 and 4 – through the non-matted sides, ordered phase screen (OPS). Other forms of optical interaction were excluded by nontransparent partitions. The control was organized in the same manner but the blood in dishes was not excited with γ-irradiation. Collected control and experimental preparations (Petri dishes with seeds and cells with blood) were kept in thermostat for 48 hours, during which the germination of seeds took place and distant interaction between inducer and detector was performed.
As it follows from the experiment results, ordered and disordered phase screens influenced on DII in different manner (Fig. 3B and Fig. 4). Stimulation of functional activity was considerably higher in the seeds located opposite non-matted sides, in other words where the phase distortions of field had regular character. Growth index of seeds of the detectors D 1 and D 3 separated from the inducer SPS did not differ from the control parameter significantly (Р < 0.92). Seed germination of the detectors D 2 and D 4 connected with the inducer by optical tract with ordered phase screen statistically reliably exceeded control. Significance level of null hypothesis was α << 0.001. The same regularity was observed in the blood kept in refrigerator for two days, which partially lost its functional activity, as in fresh blood but with lower values of growth index of biodetectors (Fig. 4).
Experiment showed that the distant interaction occurred between inducer and detector. However, it had reliable character only in case with ordered phase screen, in other words upon the maintenance of initial statistics of radiation fulfilling the communication function. Thus, the radiation of cells can have higher coherence in comparison with scattered light, and particularly this property refers to the condition which is required for DII.
It should be noted that biochemical luminescence is heterogeneous by its nature. In the reactions of free-radical oxidation the elementary exothermal acts causing the emission of light quanta are not correlated between each other, and such radiation has stochastic character. However, obtained results indicate that there are other mechanisms in cells which result in the generation of coherent photons.
In the article continuation it will be considered if the statistical properties of coherent radiation are maintained when passing through several cell layers.
• Low-intensity coherent radiation increases the effect of distant intercellular interaction.
• Intrinsic radiation of cells performing the communication function has higher statistical orderliness (coherence) in comparison with natural light.
• During the scattering of coherent light in biological tissues, its statistical orderliness remains sufficient within tens of cell layers for the recognition by phase detector.
• The value of photo-induced response of procaryotes and eukaryotes depends on the statistical orderliness of active radiation. The highest stimulation effect takes place when cell is completely located in the volume of field coherence.
Carried out studies allow drawing the conclusion that biochemical luminescence or its coherent component, to be more precise, is the mysterious biofield, and coherent radiation of certain cells unified into the field of integral organism can play the role of form-regulatory factor.
History of subject matter
The problem of field (non-chemical) communication of biological system occurred more than one hundred years ago at the attempt to explain the implementation mechanism of hereditary information in morphogenetic process. The description of complex architectonics of multicellular organism which is changing in ontogenesis on the basis of chemical, mechanical and electric interactions only turned out to be impossible. According to H. Driesch, it was necessary to find the "development engineer" who could construct the spatial structure on the basis of genetic information. In different years, such generalizing concepts as "entelechy" of H. Driesch [1], "dynamically preformed morph" of A.G. Gurvich [2], "organizers’ of H. Spemann [3], "physiological gradients’ of C.M. Childe [4], "chreods’ of C.H. Waddington [5] were suggested to such role. Despite the difference in terms, in all cases the existence of some "generalizing basis’ determining the integrity and continuity of development of living organisms was implied. Trying to explain the phenomenon nature, "… biologists could not think of something better than to postulate the presence of morphogenetic field, which determines the appearance of formed structure" [6, p. 184].
In biological context, the field – "organizationsfeld" was mentioned by H. Spemann for the first time in 1921 [7]. The further development of this hypothesis belongs to A.G. Gurvich [8, 9]. He noted that "… the idea of field arises from the necessity of recognition of spatial relationship between the molecules, which does not result from their near action" [10, p. 162].
The ideas of the fields of biological systems were very popular among embryologists and morphologists in 30th-50th of the last century. In various interpretations this concept was used by H. Spemann, J. Huxley, R. Snow and M. Snow etc. for the description of morphogenesis processes. Thus, for example P. Weiss thought that the field is characteristic to the organism as the whole and corresponds to varying system of forces (vectors) [11]. In the process of ontogenesis it is divided into subdominant fields, which serve as the determination factors of newly formed tissues and organs. The concept of P.G. Svetlov [12] was based on the formative stimulants – internal and external: "the stimulant perceived by some receptors is transformed into the load-bearing structure, or in other words morphogenetic field" [12, p. 249]. Despite the wide use of the term "field", its nature and regulation mechanism remained the abstract concepts. As A. Synnott [13, p. 474] accurately said, this term "...refers to name only and not explanation".
The point of view of N.K. Koltsov on the morphogenetic field is in tune with the ideas of H. Spemann, C.M. Childe, P. Weiss for the most part but also has significant distinctions from them. The statement on the physical nature of force field of fetus, its continuity and connection with biochemical processes in cell systems has become the major improvement [14].
Bioelectrical fields as the factor of morphogenesis of living matter were considered by H.Berr and F.Horthrop [15], E.Lund [16], S.N.Maslobrod [17]. According to the concept of G.Berr, biopotentials form the basis of biological organization, and the interconnection between the organism form and its electrical field confirms this idea [18]. However, G.Berr could not answer if such field is the reason for or consequence of morphogenetic processes.
The bioregulatory role of electromagnetic fields with low (pre-thermal) intensity was shown by N.D.Devyatkov et al. They managed to discover the significant influence of highly-coherent radiation with extremely high frequencies (EHF) on the life activity of cells and establish the ability of various organisms to generate such radiation [19, 20]. Mechanism of these processes is connected with the structural-functional adjustment of biomembranes, which results in the occurrence of acustoelectric waves with EHF. The data on cooperative behavior of human lymphocytes, which form the ordered periodic structures in the solution of sodium chloride, is given in the paper [21]. Such behavior of cells is explained by the generation of coherent electromagnetic oscillations with millimeter wavelength range [22]. As a result of dipole-dipole interaction, the long-range attractive and repulsive forces, which balance each other at the certain distance, occur. The scientists also connect the mutual coordination of movement of slipper animalcules, infusoria and other protozoa with electromagnetic field mentioning the potential role of its coherence [23].
The distant intercellular interaction (DII) has special place in the development of concepts of biological fields. It occurs beyond the boundary of action of Van der Waals’ forces and without participation of transmembrane molecular and charge exchange. This phenomenon obtained reliable experimental prove and became the major argument in favor of existence of field (non-chemical) communication of biological systems. Such form of intercellular interaction was discovered for the first time by A.G. Gurvich in 1923. Actively dividing cells of root apex induced mitosis in meristem tissue of the other root at the distance of 3...5 mm [24].
Experiments in relation to DII were successfully carried out in many laboratories and with different models [25–31]. The following experimental patterns were used. Biological samples fulfilling the function of signal inducers (bioinducers) were located at the distance of several millimeters or even centimeters from the same or totally different organisms, which served as the signal detectors or biodetectors. In many cases, possibility of chemical, electrical and mechanical contacts between them was totally excluded. Colonies of microorganisms, tissue specimen, human blood, individual organs or whole organisms were used in the capacity of bioinducers and biodetectors. The inducer was excited by means of any physical, chemical or biotical exposure. Researchers could observe the alteration of functional activity of detector coordinated with it but only in case of the presence of optical contact (visibility zone) with inducer.
The concept of stimulating action of low doses of ionizing radiation and biological role of natural radiation background (NRB) suggested by A.M. Kuzin has great significance in understanding the mechanism of field interaction [32, 33]. According to this concept, low doses of radiation by the components of NRB result not only in ionization but also in excitation of biopolymer molecules, which is accompanied by the generation of coherent photons [32]. Such light quanta can stimulate the functional activity of other cells. The following model of DII was used in the capacity of experimental proof [33–35]. At the distance of about 1 cm, the different inducers (seeds of garden radish and oat, lilac buds, bakery yeast etc.) excited by γ-irradiation of 60Со caused the significant (by 1.3–2.1 times) amplification of functional activity of biodetector, which was represented by the sprouting seeds of garden radish (Rafanus sativus L.). At the same time, non-irradiated inducers did not have evident influence on them. The effect occurred only in case of optical contact through transparent medium (air, quartz glass); it did not disappear within 2–6 hours after γ-irradiation of inducer. It should be noted that the inducer kept the capability of generation of secondary radiation only in native state. In case of its inactivation, for example, using high temperature, the distant interaction was not observed [35].
One hundred years period of study of non-chemical communication of cells reliably confirmed the fact of existence of biofields but did not explain its nature. Very contradictory points of view were expressed in this respect. For example, according to the opinion of A.G. Gurvich, the special field with non-physical nature is attributable to living organisms: "Our formulation of the main property of biological field does not provide any analogies by its content with the fields known in physics…" [10, p. 166]. And vice versa, the interpretation of V.M. Inyushin and P.R. Chekurov is too physical and incomprehensible to the same extent: "Hologram frozen-in bioplasma is probably biofield" [36, p. 57]. Such mythical concepts as torsion fields, Ψ-particles etc. were also used for the explanation of DII [37, 38]. These non-scientific definitions are the consequence of poor knowledge of physics hidden behind the curtain of the terms which are difficult to understand. The paper [39], in which it is stated that "...constructive (radiation amplification upon unidirectionality of waves) and destructive (beam annihilation upon multidirectionality of waves) interference occurs between the monochromatic beams in coherent field (coordinated behavior of wave processes)". Probably, in this sentence, which is hardly translated into the Russian language, it is referred to the variation of intensity of interfering light beams with different phase displacement. The authors [39] forget that light quanta – photons refer to bosons. Particles of such type do not interact with each other and all the more so cannot annihilate upon the meeting as opposed to fermions.
Formalization of problem
The distant intercellular interaction is observed in the organisms with different levels of organization: from procaryotes to higher eukaryotes, and this fact speaks about the evolutionary stability and thus biological significance of such communication channel. Most likely, its functioning takes place by means of low-intensity electromagnetic fields of optical spectral region. It follows from multiple experimental data and does not contradict to the properties of living organisms. Light fluxes play significant role in the various control circuits up to the gene expression [40–42]. The cells have special photo-acceptors – phytochrome (PC), cryptochrome (CrC), cytochrome (CC), rhodopsin (RD) etc. excitation of which results in the activation of different regulatory systems. Phototaxis of bacteria, photo-morphogenesis and photoperiodism of plants, retinal processes of higher animals can serve as examples. Biochemical luminescence – superweak fluorescence of cells caused by their vital activity is observed within the same range as the spectrums of action of these responses [43, 44]. It follows from a number of works that not only sunlight but also intrinsic radiation of living organisms can participate in photo-regulatory processes [26–30, 33, 45]. However, the mechanism of such channel of biosystem regulation remains unclear. Extremely low intensity of biochemical luminescence, which is lower than the natural illumination by several orders, is the stumbling block. It was thought that under such conditions it is impossible to detect superweak optical signals. But it is not the case. Even photon fluxes, which are insignificant by intensity, will be reliably detected against the background of more powerful stochastic interference if they have sufficient coherence [46]. Then, its statistical orderliness is the required condition for the transmission of regulatory signals by means of endogenous radiation. Currently, there is sufficient number of reasons to speak about the capability of living organisms to fulfill this condition.
Theoretical [47–50] and experimental [50, 51] studies showed that under the action of stochastic factors biopolymers in condensed phase are capable to the creation of cooperative excited states relaxing with the radiation of coherent photons. Light fluxes with low intensity but high coherence were registered in different organisms [30, 49, 52]. However, the capability to generate coherent photons is necessary and insufficient condition for the existence of field communication channel of biosystems. For this, cells must have additional number of properties, reality of existence of which proves the complex of carried out experiments.
Experimental research
Understanding of the mechanism of intercellular communication by means of coherent light requires the solution of a number of issues, which did not receive definite answers or were not considered in the scientific literature.
Can coherent radiation stimulate DII?
The distant intercellular interaction was simulated on the pollen of plum (Prunus domestica L.). The pollen was applied on the surface of microscope slides covered with thin layer of nutrient medium, which contained 0.8% of agar, 15% of sucrose and 0.001% of boric acid. The average density of inoculation was 20 seeds per square millimeter. Preparations executed in such manner served in the capacity of inducer, detector and control. The inducer was irradiated by coherent light with the power density of 10 W/m 2 and wavelength of 632.8 nm. Single-mode helium-neon laser LGN-222 was used for it. The irradiation duration varied within the range from 0.5 to 24 minutes. Then, the preparations were located in moist chambers: Petri dishes or purpose-made sealed compartment with the cells intended for 64 glasses. Incubation took place during 24 hours at the temperature of 28°C. During this period the inducers and detectors had optical contact between each other, and control preparations were isolated from them with light-tight partitions. Then, the pollen was inactivated using chloroform. Conclusion on the biological effect was made on the basis of number of sprouted pollen grains, and for this purpose 50 independent fields of view in every type of preparation were checked.
Laser irradiation caused the increase of germination capacity of pollen of preparations-inducers by 2–4 times in comparison with intact control (Fig. 1). As in other objects, its response had complex, multimode dependence on the irradiation duration [53]. Unirradiated pollen of biodetectors also showed statistically significant difference in the majority of preparations in comparison with control (Р > 0.99). And vice versa, the functional activity of pollen of the inducer treated with laser radiation and untreated detector was practically identical. Significance level of null hypothesis was quite high (α > 0.4), and correlation coefficients of time dependence were more than 0.8 in a number of experiments. Such noticeable coincidence of the functional activity of detector and inducer indicates the existence of distant interaction occurring between the pollen grains upon the optical contact. Such phenomenon was observed under many (but not all) conditions, and it was particularly expressed in the area of short (0.5–4 min) irradiation durations. The distance at which the interaction took place was 12.5 mm in average.
Analogous experiments were carried out with the pollen of Pennsylvanian cherry (Cerasus pensylvanica L.). Obtained results confirmed the existence of distant interaction in the system of two isolated preparations with irradiated and unirradiated pollen [54]. The effect was reproduced in the most stable manner upon the duration of laser irradiation of inducer during 30 seconds. It consisted in considerable (by 3–5 times) and statistically significant (α < 0.001) stimulation of functional activity of inducers and biodetectors associated with them in relation to control (Fig. 2).
Germination of pollen on control (unirradiated) preparations located individually and in pairs did not have difference and was considerably lower than in biodetectors. As it follows from obtained results, highly coherent laser radiation is capable not only to increase the functional activity of cells but also stimulate the communication interaction between them during post-radiation period.
Is radiation coherence significant for the distant interaction of cells?
The answer to this question can be received by variation of the property of optical communication channel. It must perform the stochastization of light radiated by cells but without its attenuation and variation of spectral composition, in other words, the coherence should be decreased only. If it influences on the effect of DII the answer will be positive.
Excitation of bioinducers and evaluation of response were performed in accordance with the methodology developed by A.M. Kuzin [32, 33]. Donor blood of healthy human served as the inducer. It was stabilized using heparin and exposed to γ-irradiation 60Со at the radiation unit RHM-γ-20 in the stimulating dose of 10 Gy. The seeds of Zhara radish located on the wet filter paper in Petri dishes with the diameter of 100 mm were used in the capacity of biodetector.
The conclusion on the effect of distant interaction was made on the basis of growth index (GI) offered by A.M. Kuzin, which was determined as GI = Σ · 100 / N, where Σ is the total length of all germinants of every experiment repeatability, N is the total number of germinating and non-germinating seeds in such repeatability. Growth index was calculated in 48 hours of cultivation in darkness at the temperature of 28°C. Experiments were carried out with fresh donor blood (1 hour after withdrawal) or blood kept in refrigerator at the temperature of 4°C during 48 hours.
The fundamental changes were introduced into the methodology [34, 45]. It consisted in the fact that radiation of the same bioinducer got on biodetectors through phase screens with various microstructure. It was achieved with the assistance of photometric cells of quartz glass with the cross section 10 × 10 mm, which had two matted opposite sides and two non-matted opposite sides. All sides poorly absorb light in the same manner but the matted sides scatter it decreasing the spatial coherence. After γ-irradiated blood fills the cell, its sides become the phase screens (spatial filters) for intrinsic radiation of bioinducer cells. The cell was tightly covered with cap and located in the center of Petri dish divided into four sectors with nontransparent partitions (Fig. 3). Biodetector – wet seeds of radish were located opposite every side in their sector. Inducer radiation got on the detectors 1 and 3 through the matted sides – stochastic (disordered) phase screen (SPS) and on the detectors 2 and 4 – through the non-matted sides, ordered phase screen (OPS). Other forms of optical interaction were excluded by nontransparent partitions. The control was organized in the same manner but the blood in dishes was not excited with γ-irradiation. Collected control and experimental preparations (Petri dishes with seeds and cells with blood) were kept in thermostat for 48 hours, during which the germination of seeds took place and distant interaction between inducer and detector was performed.
As it follows from the experiment results, ordered and disordered phase screens influenced on DII in different manner (Fig. 3B and Fig. 4). Stimulation of functional activity was considerably higher in the seeds located opposite non-matted sides, in other words where the phase distortions of field had regular character. Growth index of seeds of the detectors D 1 and D 3 separated from the inducer SPS did not differ from the control parameter significantly (Р < 0.92). Seed germination of the detectors D 2 and D 4 connected with the inducer by optical tract with ordered phase screen statistically reliably exceeded control. Significance level of null hypothesis was α << 0.001. The same regularity was observed in the blood kept in refrigerator for two days, which partially lost its functional activity, as in fresh blood but with lower values of growth index of biodetectors (Fig. 4).
Experiment showed that the distant interaction occurred between inducer and detector. However, it had reliable character only in case with ordered phase screen, in other words upon the maintenance of initial statistics of radiation fulfilling the communication function. Thus, the radiation of cells can have higher coherence in comparison with scattered light, and particularly this property refers to the condition which is required for DII.
It should be noted that biochemical luminescence is heterogeneous by its nature. In the reactions of free-radical oxidation the elementary exothermal acts causing the emission of light quanta are not correlated between each other, and such radiation has stochastic character. However, obtained results indicate that there are other mechanisms in cells which result in the generation of coherent photons.
In the article continuation it will be considered if the statistical properties of coherent radiation are maintained when passing through several cell layers.
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