Unlocking the Potential of Biomimicry in Medicine: Taking inspiration from Purkinje Cells for the development of EV Superchargers and microchips.

"Purkinje cells (red neurons in image)" Imagen by Ludovic Colin doi:10.7295/W9CIL38933

"Purkinje cells (red neurons in image)" Imagen by Ludovic Colin doi:10.7295/W9CIL38933

Written by Michellie Hernandez, MD with the help of ChatGPT

Published on March 29, 2024

Edited on Abril 4, 2024

Introduction:

Nature has always been a source of inspiration for human innovation. One prominent ancient scientist who looked at nature for inspiration and designed inventions based on observations from the natural world was Leonardo da Vinci, who observed the anatomy and movements of birds, particularly the wings of birds in flight. Inspired by his observations, Leonardo designed and sketched various flying machines, that laid the groundwork for later advancements in aviation and aircraft design. Today biomimicry has proven to be a powerful tool for solving complex problems. In the field of medicine, biomimicry offers a wealth of possibilities for developing cutting-edge solutions and technologies. In this blog post, we will explore the fascinating field of biomimicry and artificial intelligence in medicine and its potential to revolutionize healthcare and innovative technology.

A biomimicry research proposal I had shared on LinkedIn on the past, involves drawing inspiration from the remarkable synaptic capabilities of Purkinje fibers. These fibers possess the ability to receive information from thousands of axons, achieved by covering a broad surface area conducive to conducting electricity efficiently. Thus I propose drawing inspiration from the form of the Purkinje cell's dendritic arbor for development of EV supercharging cables or batteries and even potentially microchip designs.

Have you ever pondered the intricate process by which the brain manages to assimilate and refine sensory and motor inputs, transforming learned movements into automatic, finely-tuned actions? One type of essential neurons on how the brain accomplishes such task are called Purkinje cells.

Purkinje cells are a type of neuron found in the cerebellum of the brain. They are named after the Czech anatomist Jan Evangelista Purkinje, who first described them in 1837. These cells have a distinct shape with a large, elaborate dendritic arbor that extends into the molecular layer of the cerebellum, where they receive input from parallel fibers of granule cells and climbing fibers from the inferior olive. Purkinje cells are crucial for the coordination, precision, and timing of movements. They play a central role in motor control and are involved in various functions including motor learning, sensory integration, and cognitive processing. Purkinje cells are often considered to have some of the most complex and functionally important dendritic arbors in the brain. Dysfunction of Purkinje cells can lead to motor disorders such as ataxia. The branching pattern of Purkinje cell dendrites expanding its surface area allows them to receive input from a large number of synaptic connections, facilitating the integration of sensory and motor signals within the cerebellar circuitry.

We can draw inspiration from the efficiency and organization of Purkinje cell dendrites to design optimized structures for energy transfer and conductivity in superchargers and microchips.

In the context of 3D printing nano fibers for superchargers, we can leverage the principles of Murray's Law and the overall efficiency of Purkinje cell dendritic arborizations. Murray's Law emphasizes the optimization of vascular networks for energy efficiency, and similarly, the branching pattern of Purkinje cell dendrites is optimized for efficient integration of synaptic inputs. Creating a computational model of Purkinje cell dendritic arbors requires a multidisciplinary approach combining neuroanatomy, computational neuroscience, and mathematical modeling techniques. I suggest a research proposal to use the ongoing research and advances on computational models from neuro-imaging, such as Jaarsma, D. et. al (2024), that evaluate dysfunctions of Purkinje cells in neurological disorders, to create a computational model from normal Purkinje cells. This pattern can be used for 3D printing of highly conductive nano fibers within supercharging cables or batteries. It can also be used towards microchip designs with technologies like the EUV Lithograph machine of ASML to manufacture efficiently conductive microchips.

In the design, we can aim to mimic the organized branching pattern of Purkinje cell dendrites to enhance the efficiency of energy transfer and conductivity. By arranging nano fibers in a hierarchical and interconnected network, similar to the branching structure of Purkinje cell dendrites, we can maximize surface area and optimize the flow of electrical current. In the words of biomimicry the design is meant to capture the form at micro and nano scale of the dendritic arbor of Purkinje cells that allows the Purkinje cells to be an excellent example of the function: how to "Distribute - Energy" and life's principles: "Be Resource Efficient - Fitting form to Function."

References

1. Textbooks:

• "Principles of Neural Science" by Eric R. Kandel, James H. Schwartz, and Thomas M. Jessell.

• "Neuroscience" by Dale Purves, George J. Augustine, David Fitzpatrick, William C. Hall, Anthony-Samuel LaMantia, and Leonard E. White. 2. Review Articles:

• Palay, S. L., & Chan-Palay, V. (1974). Cerebellar Cortex: Cytology and Organization. Springer Science & Business Media.

• Apps, R., & Hawkes, R. (2009). Cerebellar cortical organization: a one-map hypothesis. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 10(9), 670-681.

• Mugnaini, E., Sekerková, G., & Martina, M. (2011). The unipolar brush cell: a remarkable neuron finally receiving deserved attention. Brain Research Reviews, 66(1-2), 220-245. 3. Original Research Papers:

• Eccles, J. C., Ito, M., & Szentágothai, J. (1967). The cerebellum as a neuronal machine. Springer.

• Llinás, R., & Sugimori, M. (1980). Electrophysiological properties of in vitro Purkinje cell dendrites in mammalian cerebellar slices. The Journal of Physiology, 305(1), 197-213.

• Palay, S. L. (1956). Synapses in the central nervous system. Journal of Biophysical and Biochemical Cytology, 2(4), 193-202.

• Jaarsma, D. et. al (2024). Different Purkinje cell pathologies cause specific patterns of progressive gait ataxia in mice, Neurobiology of Disease in Neurobiology of disease 2024 Volume 192, 2024, 106422, ISSN 0969-9961, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nbd.2024.106422. 4. Image:

• Purkinje Image by Ludovic Colin doi:10.7295/W9CIL38933 http://www.cellimagelibrary.org/images/38933