Medical Hypotheses (2004) 62, 169–172

http://intl.elsevierhealth.com/journals/mehy

Biophotons, microtubules and CNS, is our brain a

“Holographic computer”?
F. Grassa,*, H. Klimab, S. Kaspera

a
Departement of General Psychiatry, University of Vienna, 1090 Waehringer Gu €rtel 18-20, Austria
b
Atomic Institute of the University of Vienna, A-1020 Schuettelstrasse 121, Austria
Received 20 August 2003; accepted 19 October 2003

Summary Several experiments show that there is a cell to cell communication by light in different cell types. This
article describes theoretical mechanisms and subcellular structures that could be involved in this phenomenon. Special
consideration is given to the nervous system, since it would have excellent conditions for such mechanisms. Neurons
are large colourless cells with wide arborisations, have an active metabolism generating photons, contain little
pigment, and have a prominent cytoskeleton consisting of hollow microtubules. As brain and spinal cord are protected
from environmental light by bone and connective tissue, the signal to noise ratio should be high for photons as signal.
Fluorescent and absorbing substances should interfere with such a communication system. Of all biogenic amines
nature has chosen the ones with the strongest fluorescence as neurotransmitters for mood reactions: serotonin,
dopamine and norepinephrine. If these mechanisms are of relevance our brain would have to be looked upon as a
“holographic computer”.
c 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Introduction biocommunicative role of light in several cell

populations.
Photon emission from unicellular and multicellular
organisms has been studied for decades. The phe-
nomenon is referred to by a variety of names, such Experiments showing biophoton
as mitogenetic radiation, dark luminescence, low communication
level chemoluminescence, ultraweak photonemis-
sion (UPE) and biophotons. There have been long
Cell to cell communication by light is basically an old
discussions as to whether or not this emission has a
story. In 1926, the Russian scientist Gurwitsch [5]
biocommunicative role, or is just a byproduct of
published an experiment, where he could show the
metabolism. Gurwitsch [1], Dicke [2], and later
induction of mitosis from the tip of an onion root to
Popp [3], and Albrecht-Buehler [4] have developed
the shaft of a second onion root. The induction
concepts that photons play a role in cell to cell
worked when the second root was in a quartz tube
communication.
but not when it was in a glass tube. From this he
Gurwitsch, Popp, Shen and Albrecht-Buehler
concluded that it was UV-light causing the effect,
have published experiments that actually show a
which he called “mitogenetic radiation”.
Half a decade later the German physicist Popp
*
Corresponding author. Present address: A-1070 Stiftgasse 33/ [6] performed experiments with goniaulax polye-
2, Austria. Tel./fax: +431-522-5689. dra, a single cell maritime bacterium capable of
E-mail address: [email protected] (F. Grass). luciferin – luciferase reaction.


0306-9877/$ - see front matter c 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/S0306-9877(03)00308-6
170 Grass et al.

He placed two cuevettes with these bacteria on Sources of light in the cell are mainly metabolic
two highly sensititive photomultipliers and re- processes. Every metabolic reaction has a specific
corded a dramatic increase of synchronised photon light emission spectrum that is determined by
emission upon removing an optical separation be- the energetic steps involved. The subcellular frac-
tween the two cuevettes. tion with the highest metabolic activity are the mi-
In 1995, Shen [7] performed experiments with tochondria. The oxidation of NADH has a high
pig neutrophil granulocytes in a similar design. capability to generate photons. According to Albr-
Two cuevettes with pig neutrophils were placed echt-Buehler [4,10] mitochondria are the best
on two photomultiplier tubes. Bacterial extracts candidates for a cellular light source.
were put into one cuevette causing degranulation From his investigations of ultraweak photone-
and light emission. Upon removing the optical se- mission Popp [11] found that, DNA plays an im-
peration light was also emitted from the other portant role in this emission. Cells emit light even
cuevette indicating the induction of degranulation when the cytoplasm is damaged, but when the
by light. nuclei are removed there is no UPE any more.
In 1992, Albrecht-Buehler [8] published a tissue Ethidium bromide destroying the DNA also reduces
culture experiment, where he inoculated baby the UPE. From the photon count statistics, from
hamster kidney (BHK) cells on one side of a glass the spectral distribution, from the behaviour of the
film whose opposite side was covered with a 2–3 emission after external illumination, and from its
days old confluent layer of BHK cells. After 7 h of passage through optically thick materials he con-
attaching and spreading in the absence of visible cludes that, the emission is cohaerent light. He
light, most of the cells had traversed with their describes DNA as “exciplex laser system” collecting
long axes in the direction of the whorls of the photons and emitting them as cohaerent light.
confluent cells opposed. The effect was inhibited Another light source would be environmental
by a thin metal coating of the glass films. In con- light transported along the blood vessels by albu-
trast, a thin coat of silicon on the glass did not min, the main plasma protein, that exhibits in our
inhibit the effect, suggesting that the effect was own experiments, illumination of this protein was
caused by red or near infrared light. He called the followed by an intense long lasting chemilumines-
phenomenon “cellular vision”. cence of 30 min duration.
Now that we realise that cell to cell communi- Propagation of photon signals in the organism
cation by light takes place in several cell popula- could take place by direct tissue penetration, along
tions it might be useful to summarize which cellular processes, e.g., axons and dendrites and
mechanisms might be involved in this effect. inside the hollow core of cytoskeletal microtu-
bules. Jibu and Hameroff [12] conclude from the
constant inner diameter of 15 nm that microtu-
Physical aspects
bules are capable of guiding light, free of thermal
noise and loss.
From an elementary physical point of view, pho-
And indeed light propagation in the brain de-
tons are electromagnetic field quanta whose fun-
pends on the nerve fiber orientation and is better
damental nature is to interact between electrical
along the axes of white matter tracts [13].
charges like electrons or aggregations of electrical
As stated before albumin should be capable of
charges like atoms, molecules, macromolecules,
transporting light along blood vessels.
etc. Feynman 1988 [9]. Therefore, one can assume
Modulation of photon signals as part of a bio-
or even state that communication on a fundamen-
photon communication system could happen in
tal biophysical and biochemical level should be
different ways. Absorption-characteristics of en-
based on the exchange of photons.
dogenous or exogenous pigments changing with
physical–chemical processes (concentration, pH,
How could it work ? temperature and redox-processes) reduce the en-
ergy of the signal. Fluorescence-characteristics
A biophoton communication system would first of changing with physical–chemical processes could
all need sources for the generation of light, then it reduce the wavelength of the hypothetic commu-
would need possibilities for this light to penetrate nication signal. Polarisation-characteristics of en-
tissue, an impact which would be increased by dogenous and exogenous substances also changing
possibilities to modulate a photon signal, possibil- with physical–chemical processes may alter the
ities to modulate a photon signal would increase its polarisation angle of the signal. Cell membranes
impact, lastly it would need targets that can be could change their optical properties with depo-
influenced by light signals. larisation or binding of fluorescent or absorbing
Biophotons, microtubules and CNS, is our brain a “Holographic computer”? 171

substances to membranes or receptors, e.g., neu- a membrane potential enables them to release a
rotransmitters. Quenchers could inhibit photon lot of energy in short time by depolarisation. If
emission from free radicals and fluorescent sub- depolarisation energy can be used to generate
stances. Two photon excitation in proteins could light, e.g., within the microtubules, the process of
generate UV photons. Diffraction, refraction and depolarisation could scan the information within
reflexion might take place at boundary surfaces. the microtubules and MAP-proteins and transmit it
Targets or modes of action for a photon signal to the next neuron. When depolarisation reaches
could be metabolic processes (laser chemistry is an the synapses the fluorescent neurotransmitters are
entirely new branch in industry looking for ways to released, the transmission is terminated and ret-
use light of the appropriate wavelength, to excite rograde transmission inhibited.
modes of vibration or states that lead to a desired
reaction). Configurational changes in form of cis/
trans transitions, e.g., rhodopsin, photoactivation Conclusions
of enzymes, e.g., tryptophan-decarboxylase by 337
nm light [14], activation and synchronisation of the From the listed experiments we see that there is
cytochrome P-450 dependent monoxygenase sys- strong evidence for a photon mediated cell to cell
tem by blue light [15],activation of glutamate- communication, also intracellular processes could
dehydrogenase by red light [16]. Photovasorelax- be regulated by these mechanisms. If cell com-
ation could act on the blood circulation by near UV munication/regulation happen by biophoton signals
light [17]. Degranulation of neutrophils [7]. Cell as a general principle many phenomena would have
orientation by red or near infrared light [8]. Influ- to be reconsidered in the light of this hypothesis.
ences on mitotic processes, e.g., “mitogenetic Especially, the physiology of the CNS would have to
radiation” by UV light [5]. Among many other be seen in a different way.
photochemical and photobiological reactions, also Apart from their known physiologic and phar-
photosensitized singulet oxygen formation and ni- macologic properties, neurotransmitters, psycho-
tric-oxide generation from nitrogen containing pharmacological drugs, hallucinogens and other
substances may play a role. psychotropic agents may act through their fluo-
From laser experiments with 3T3 cells Albrecht- rescence or absorption characteristics and/or their
Buehler [18] concludes that the centrosome is an action on light guiding microtubules, thus inter-
infrared detector, and calls it a “cellular eye”. fering with the biophoton communication. The
mechanisms might be of little or no relevance un-
der resting conditions but would gain importance in
The role of the nervous system ? active, aroused, or hyperaroused states, with high
metabolic activity generating photons.
However, if biophoton communication is a gen- These findings may lead to a completely new
eral principle in cells especially the nervous system understanding of cognition and conciousness.
would have excellent conditions for such mecha- Also the pathophysiology of conditions like hal-
nisms. Neurons are large colourless cells with wide lucinations, schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease
arborisations, they have a highly active metabolism would have to be reconsidered.
generating photons, contain little pigment and If biophoton communication and light guidance
have a prominent cytoskeleton consisting of hollow in cytoskeletal microtubules takes place in human
microtubules. As brain and spinal cord are pro- CNS, our brain would have to be looked upon as an
tected from environmental light by bone and con- “optocybernetic system”, or, as Jibu [12] put it, a
nective tissue, signal to noise ratio should be high “holographic computer”.
for photons as signal.
Absorbing and fluorescent substances should
interfere with such a biophoton communication
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