Revisiting the mitogenetic effect of ultra-weak photon emission

These conclusions are quite similar to the presently known data: UPE is indeed coming in short pulses (duration <10−3 s) and might have specific temporal order, that can be estimated with correlation, Fourier or wavelet analysis of the UPE signal (Kobayashi and Inaba, 2000; Beloussov et al., 2002). Yet whether it functions as a biological signal remains unknown.

Probably no other serious considerations were published on this question until 1980-s. The “early authors” were mainly involved in debates around the very existence of UPE and/or MGE (see discussion in Rahn, 1934a,b). The “UPE-ROS” groups (Tarusov, Chance, and others) considered UPE nothing but a side effect of destructive processes. Thus, the very question of UPE signaling was senseless for them. Other groups were focused on experimental work (Konev, Quickenden and others) or methods of UPE detection (Inaba's group).

The question of UPE signaling (i.e., mechanisms of distant communication of biological systems) was “revisited” by Popp. His main hypothesis was that biological systems possessed an inner coherent electromagnetic field, which generated photons in either coherent or the so-called squeezed quantum state. Thus, they could be easily detected by other coherent-state systems at practically any chaotic background (Popp, 2003).

Unfortunately, these beautiful ideas have not got experimental proof. There is no evidence of either coherent fields in biological systems or any coherent properties of UPE from them. There are also theoretical considerations that the longest possible coherent time for UPE from biological systems should not exceed 10−9 s (Mayburov and Volodyaev, 2009).

A serious critical work (Kucera and Cifra, 2013) published lately, considers physical limitations for UPE signaling, coming from the theory of information. Here are its main points.

According to Shenonn's theorem, the maximal capacity C of any communication channel in the presence of noise is C=B log2(1+SN), where B is the bandwidth of the channel (in Hz), S, intensity of the signal, N, intensity of the noise. The authors estimate these parameters from the following considerations:

Propagation of electromagnetic field in the medium depends on its wavelength. Thus, a UPE signal composed of very different frequencies is inevitably distorted “on the way.”

Electromagnetic fields of different frequencies are generated through totally different mechanisms. Thus, it is very unlikely to have them working “in tune” in the same signaling system.

No radiowaves, because there is no well-established mechanism for their reception.

That is right. Yet, there are a number of theoretical works (Binhi and Rubin, 2007), showing that non-equilibrium systems can have certain degrees of freedom with practically no energy exchange with the others. Thus, their excitation time can be very long, and they can work as “accumulators” of extremely weak EMFs.

No infrared (IR), because thermal emission maximum from living systems lies in IR; hence it is very unlikely to have this region used for signaling.

This is true, but probably not enough to put a ban on this region. There is a large series of experimental works by Albrecht-Buehler (e.g., Albrecht-Buehler, 2005) showing IR sensing and IR interaction of cells. At least these results have to be thoroughly criticized (or explained by other means) before making such a conclusion.

Dangerous doses of UV are >106 times higher than intensity of UPE shown by Konev and Quickenden, and supposed intensity of mitogenetic radiation. Thus, this is not related to the topic.

Only visible light, because there are no established mechanisms for generation and perception of EMF outside this region.

This is true concerning the widely appreciated mechanisms. Yet, generation and perception of EMF outside this region is not physically forbidden. Besides, aside from the whole MGE literature, there are serious works showing UV and IR emission by biological systems (Troitskii et al., 1961; Tilbury, 1992; Albrecht-Buehler, 2005).

Any kinds of signal filtering, like space or time filtering, phase sensing etc. require complicated machinery and hence are very unlikely for single cells.

The background of 1015 photons/s/cm2 is full sunshine in visible spectral range. As MGE can be observed only in “semidarkness” (see Section The Experimental Setup), the estimated background should be ~1010–1012 photons/cm2/s in the visible range and 3–6 orders less in the UV.

All the measurements of spontaneous UPE are (naturally) performed in complete darkness. It is well known, that photon emission of any object taken from light, is initially ~102–103 more intense than its spontaneous UPE, and slowly decays in several hours (the phenomena of delayed luminescence and photo-induced chemiluminescence). Thus, optical levels in any biological system at external light are additionally excited, which can enhance the UPE intensity in real conditions by 1–2 orders of magnitude (Mayburov and Volodyaev, 2009).

As MGE is not observed at complete darkness, but only at lighter conditions, this additional excitation might be crucial for UPE signaling, and the real signal intensity can be 101–102 times higher, than presently supposed).

A possible way to increase effective S/N ratio at given conditions is to transfer the signal as a series of short pulses with long intervals between them. This can increase the S/N ratio by a factor α=(tT)n, where t, is duration of a pulse, T, interval between pulses, n, number of pulses encoding a single bit in the signal. Yet, this requires mutual “tuning” of interacting systems, which means history-dependence of signaling. This is not unfeasible, but rather complicated to perform (see Mayburov and Volodyaev, 2009 for more discussion).

The authors also point out that “no reported experiment <on distant interaction> shows absolute chemical separation <of the interacting objects>.” Hence, results of most of these works “should be attributed to another phenomenon.”

This is true for many works in this area. Yet, a number of “early works” establish full chemical separation between the inductor and the recipient, examined with the isotope method (Gurwitsch and Gurwitsch, 1934). Besides, a number of works with no chemical separation of the interacting objects, use fully identical “chemical conditions” for experiment and control, with the only difference lying in transparency of the separating screen (Fels, 2009; Budagovskii et al., 2001).

Thus, we consider the authors' conclusion that “cellular signaling through light is either a paradox, or not accomplishable under natural conditions” unreasonably radical. Yet, main limitations for light signaling (if it exists) stated in the article are definitely correct and should be always accounted:

It cannot transfer long “messages,” because they require either long time or high signal intensity. Hence, UPE signaling can only function as a trigger for previously prepared processes.

It should utilize spectral range with possibly lower background (the best “candidate” from this viewpoint is UV).

A number of authors tried to “simulate” MGE with artificial sources of UV. In Nakaidzumi and Schreiber (1931), Kreuchen and Bateman (1932), Richards and Taylor (1932), Seyfert (1932), Hollaender and Claus (1937) results were totally negative. Yet, methods used in these works were principally different from what had been recommended to detect MGE (see Sub-section Critical Works in Section MGE on Yeast and Bacteria). Thus, their negative results cannot be regarded serious or representative.

Stimulation of cell division with artificial ultraweak UV (on the objects, used as MGE recipients) was reported in Chariton et al. (1930), Ruyssen (1933). In Chariton et al. (1930) the most systematic results were published, with clear spectra of mitogenetic sensitivity of the recipients. The authors note, that stimulation effect in these experiments was obtained at much higher intensities than the estimates for radiation from biological MGE inductors. Hence, they suggest that it was not just intensity of UPE important for producing biological effect, but other parameters like temporal order, combination of spectral bands etc.

Very interesting data on this topic are mentioned in Gurwitsch and Gurwitsch (1934). Radiation from an arc lamp was weakened (details not mentioned), and its 254 nm spectral band was isolated and used as an artificial inductor. Standard induction of an “approved” recipient (yeast culture) gave no effect at any duration. Yet, “interrupted induction” (see Section The Experimental Setup) with single “induction pulses” of 0.7 ms and periodicity of 25 Hz gave definite MGE. Unfortunately, we couldn't find the original article or the “raw data.”

Later, Quickenden and Tilbury also tried to stimulate mitosis in yeast cultures with ultraweak UV (Quickenden et al., 1989). The above comparison of their conditions with earlier works remains true. Besides, the authors mentioned the presence of day light as a necessary condition for MGE in early works, but preferred to violate this recommendation on the basis of a personal opinion: “Celan et al. (1986) found that they [“early workers”] could only detect the mitogenetic effect in its [day light] absence.” Although scholastic conclusions are sometimes very trustworthy, they cannot be used as an argument against experiment.

Mitogenetic effect is presently what Wainwright called “forgotten microbiology” (Wainwright, 2000). Yet, as we intended to show, the literature on this topic is not just a number of non-scientific papers by “a few east-European workers.” It is an extensive research, performed in a dozen of countries by more than 150 authors, including very respectable scientists, and publications in highest rating journals. Where is this science now? Was it proven false since then?