Method of electrogenically controlling pump molecules

• US 8,073,549 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2010
• Issued: 12/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of South Florida (State University System of Florida)
• Original Assignee: University of South Florida (State University System of Florida)
• Inventors: Chen, Wei
• Primary Examiner(s): Landsman, Robert
• Application Number:
  US12/762,708
• Publication Number:
  US 20100249757A1
• Time in Patent Office: 596 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 607/76
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/32 alternating or intermittent currents applying electric fields by inductive or capacitive coupling A61N1/40; microwave apparatus A61N5/02

Abstract

Activation of electrogenic pump molecules can be realized by a dynamic entrainment procedure which includes two steps: synchronization of individual pump molecules to work at the same pumping pace, and gradual modulation of the synchronization frequency. Na/K pump molecules were used as an example in a physiological operating mode by applying the concept of an electronic synchrotron to the biological system. It was shown that individual Na/K pump molecules can be synchronized by a well designed oscillating electric field. The synchronized pump currents show separated inward and outward pump currents and a magnitude ratio of 3:2 reflecting stoichiometric number of the pump molecules.

Claims

1. A method of controlling the cycle of a plurality of carrier-mediated ion transporters comprising the steps of:

applying an oscillating electric field at a predetermined synchronization frequency wherein the frequency is substantially equal to the ion transporters initial natural turnover rate; and

incrementally adjusting the synchronization frequency to control the cycle.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the carrier-mediated ion transporters have an ion-transport step that is the rate-limiting step to their respective reaction.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the carrier-mediated ion transporters are sensitive to membrane potential.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the magnitude of the oscillating electric field is restricted to a magnitude which allows the field-induced membrane potential to fall within the physiological range.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the synchronization frequency of the oscillating electric field can be changed through changing oscillating cycle duration by applying continuous small changes in consecutive cycles or large incremental changes in repeating cycles.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the changes in the oscillating cycle duration through applying small changes in consecutive cycles are about 1% or less of the cycle duration.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the changes in the oscillating cycle duration through applying large incremental changes in repeating cycles are between about 3% and about 5% of the cycle duration.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the maximum frequency incremental change is between half of the previous frequency and double the previous frequency.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein the maximum incremental change in the oscillating cycle is between half of the previous cycle duration and double the previous cycle duration.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the turnover rate is reverse modulated when the synchronization frequency is gradually reduced.

11. A method of controlling the cycle of a plurality of Na/K pump molecules comprising the steps of:

applying an oscillating electric field at a predetermined synchronization frequency wherein the frequency is substantially equal to the pump molecules'"'"' initial natural turnover rate and;

incrementally adjusting the synchronization frequency to control the cycle.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the magnitude of the oscillating electric field is restricted to a magnitude which allows the field-induced membrane potential to fall within the physiological range.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the synchronization frequency of the oscillating electric field can be changed by changing pulse duration through applying continuous small changes in consecutive pulses or large incremental changes in repeating pulses.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the changes in pulse duration by applying small changes in consecutive pulses are about 1% or less of the pulse duration.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the changes in pulse duration by applying large incremental changes in repeating pulses are between about 3% and about 5% of the pulse duration.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the maximum frequency incremental change is between half of the previous frequency and double the previous frequency.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein the maximum pulse duration is between half of the previous pulse duration and double the previous pulse duration.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein the pumping rate is reverse modulated when synchronization frequency is gradually reduced.