Towards understanding of birds magnetoreceptor mechanism

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In the present letter we suggest a new theoretical model for a quantitative description of the magnetoreception mechanism in birds. The considered mechanism involves two types of iron minerals (magnetite and maghemite) which were found in subcellular compartments within sensory dendrites of the upper beak of several bird species. The analysis of forces acting between the iron particles shows that the orientation of the external geomagnetic field can significantly change the probability of the mechanosensitive ion channels opening and closing. The performed theoretical analysis shows that the suggested magnetoreceptor system might be a sensitive biological magnetometer providing an essential part of the magnetic map for navigation.
10 pages, 4 figures

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Biological Physics

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http://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/127346

Consulte el texto completo en el siguiente enlace:

https://arxiv.org/abs/0704.1763
 http://arxiv.org/abs/0704.1763

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arXiv