Galvanotaxis - Modes of Cell Movement

Galvanotaxis considers to the movement of cells in response to a potential variation between cells. It is suggested that there are voltage differences among embryonic regions that could play an important role in morphogenesis. Minute electric fields of the order of 10 to 100 mv/mm appear to be enough to alter the direction of nerve growth. Nuccitelli and Erickson (1984) displayed that embryonic chick fibroblasts migrate toward negative pole when cultured in small steady electrical field. Early chick embryos, regenerating blastema of amphibians and moth ovaries while transportation of yolk proteins occurs, arc some of the structures where large electric currents have been detected.