Bioelectricity in Morphogenesis

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articleContributedpeer-review

Abstract

Bioelectricity is likely as old as life itself. From the moment the first protocell was enclosed in a lipid bilayer, a membrane potential arose. Thus, one can expect that bioelectrical activities influence single-cell and collective cell behaviors in processes such as embryo development, tissue repair, and even disease. Despite the ubiquity of bioelectrical phenomena, most research has focused on bioelectrical control of neural tissues, and as a result, our knowledge of nonneural contexts remains comparatively less understood, scattered, and often misunderstood. Still, there are strong reasons for supporting the idea that bioelectricity contributes to diverse morphogenetic contexts. Thus, in this review we provide an overview of the current knowledge of how cells generate and perceive bioelectrical inputs, and discuss how cells translate these stimuli into responses that influence tissue morphogenesis in physiology and pathology.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)187-208
Number of pages22
JournalAnnual Review of Cell and Developmental Biology
Volume41
Issue number1
Publication statusPublished - 1 Oct 2025
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 40829786

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Keywords

  • bioelectricity, electrotaxis, ion channels, ionic currents, membrane potential, surface charge, tissue morphogenesis