Bioelectromagnetism 293100 218627149 2008-06-11T13:54:02Z 88.114.243.31 /* External links, resources, and references */ '''Bioelectromagnetism''' (sometimes equated with '''bioelectricity''') refers to the electrical, magnetic or [[electromagnetic field]]s produced by living [[cell (biology)|cell]]s, [[biological tissue|tissue]]s or [[organism]]s. Examples include the [[cell potential]] of cell membranes and the [[electric current]]s that flow in [[nerve]]s and [[muscle]]s, as a result of [[action potential]]s. It is not to be confused with [[bioelectromagnetics]], which deals with the effect on life from external electromagnetism. ==Description== Biological cells use bioelectricity to store metabolic energy, to do work or [[signal transduction|trigger internal changes]], and to signal one another. Bioelectromagnetism is the electric current produced by action potentials along with the [[magnetic field]]s they generate through the phenomenon of [[electromagnetism]]. Bioelectromagnetism is studied primarily through the techniques of [[electrophysiology]]. In the late eighteenth century, the [[Italy|Italian]] [[physician]] and [[physicist]] [[Luigi Galvani]] first recorded the phenomenon while dissecting a [[frog]] at a table where he had been conducting experiments with [[static electricity]]. Galvani coined the term ''animal electricity'' to describe the phenomenon, while contemporaries labeled it [[galvanism]]. Galvani and contemporaries regarded muscle activation as resulting from an electrical fluid or substance in the [[nerve]]s. Bioelectromagnetism is an aspect of all [[organism|living things]], including all plants and animals. [[Biological thermodynamics|Bioenergetics]] is the study of [[energy]] relationships of living organisms. [[Biodynamics]] deals with the energy utilization and the activities of organisms. Some animals have acute bioelectric sensors, and others, such as migratory [[bird]]s, are believed to navigate in part by orienting with respect to the [[Earth's magnetic field]]. Also, [[shark]]s are more sensitive to local interaction in electromagnetic fields than most [[human]]s. Other animals, such as the [[electric eel]], are able to generate large [[electric field]]s outside their bodies. In the life sciences, [[biomedical engineering]] uses concepts of [[electrical network|circuit]] theory, molecular biology, pharmacology, and bioelectricity. Bioelectromagnetism is associated with [[biorhythm]]s and [[chronobiology]]. [[Biofeedback]] is used in [[physiology]] and [[psychology]] to monitor rhythmic cycles of physical, mental, and emotional characteristics and as a technique for teaching the control of bioelectric functions. Bioelectromagnetism involves the interaction of [[ion]]s. Bioelectromagnetism is sometimes difficult to understand because of the differing types of bioelectricity, such as brainwaves, [[myoelectricity]] (e.g., heart-muscle phenomena), and other related subdivisions of the same general bioelectromagnetic phenomena. One such phenomenon is a [[Electroencephalography|brainwave]], which [[neurophysiology]] studies, where bioelectromagnetic fluctuations of [[voltage]] between parts of the [[cerebral cortex]] are detectable with an [[electroencephalograph]]. This is primarily studied in the [[brain]] by way of [[electroencephalogram]]s. ==See also== *[[Signals (biology)]] *[[Electrophysiology]] *[[Magnetobiology]] *[[Electroencephalography]] **[[Electroencephalography#Wave types|Brain waves]] *[[Membrane potential]] ** [[Resting potential]] ** [[Action potential]] *[[Biorhythm]] *[[Electrochemical potential]] *[[Electrochemistry]] *[[Electric fish]] *[[Electromyography]] *[[Electrocyte]] ==External links, resources, and references== ''Information'' * A short history of Bioelectromagnetism [http://butler.cc.tut.fi/~malmivuo/bem/bembook/01/01.htm] * Malmivuo, Jaakko, and Robert Plonsey, ''' "''[http://butler.cc.tut.fi/~malmivuo/bem/bembook/ Bioelectromagnetism],'' ''' ''Principles and Applications of Bioelectric and Biomagnetic Fields''". Oxford University Press, New York - Oxford. 1995. * [http://www.ijbem.org/ International Journal of Bioelectromagnetism] * [http://www.isbem.org/ International Society for Bioelectromagnetism] * [http://csep1.phy.ornl.gov/CSEP/BF/BF.html Direct and Inverse Bioelectric Field Problems] * [http://www.pote.hu/biofizika/eng/education/lecture2001/bioelec/index.html Bioelectricity]. Biophysics lectures. ''Groups'' * [http://elecmech.snu.ac.kr/project/biomagnetism.html Bioelectromagnetism Research Group] * [http://www.vanderbilt.edu/lsp/ Living State Physics Group] * [http://www.berlin.ptb.de/8/_indexe.html Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt]. Laboratory for Bioelectricity/Biomagnetism, Berlin. * [http://www.psi.edu.tc PSI - Bak] - Human Bio-magnetism. * [http://www.rgi.fi/ Ragnar Granit Institute]. [[Category:Physiology]] [[Category:Biophysics]] [[cs:Biomagnetismus]] [[de:Bioelektromagnetismus]] [[es:Biomagnetismo]] [[fr:Bioélectromagnétisme]] [[pt:Bioelectricidade]] [[sr:Биоелектрицитет]]