Numerical Study of Voltage-Gated Ca2+ Transport Irradiated by Terahertz Electromagnetic Wave

This paper simulates Ca 2+ transmembrane transport through voltage-gated Ca 2+ channels in response to terahertz electromagnetic irradiation. The active transport of Ca 2+ ions is taken into considerations in the Ca 2+ transport. Temperature variations due to terahertz electromagnetic loss in physiological medium are simulated. The electromagnetic interaction between terahertz fields and physiological mobile ions at the cellular level is deduced from relativistic electrodynamics. It shows that effects of 0.1 ~ 3 THz electromagnetic fields on cell mobile ions are primarily due to effects of electric fields, and effects of magnetic fields at the cellular level are insignificant. In addition, numerical simulation reveals that terahertz irradiation causes vibration of membrane potential, which is able to activate voltage-gated Ca 2+ channels. Besides, bioeffects of terahertz frequency, irradiation duration and electric intensity on the increment of intracellular Ca 2+ concentration due to activation of voltage-gated Ca 2+ channels are revealed. Meanwhile, numerical results show that temperature rises are inconsequential in the case of different irradiation parameters, indicating the non-thermal bioeffects of voltage-gated Ca 2+ transmembrane transport due to terahertz irradiation. Furthermore, the results also reveal that thermal bioeffect can be significant if the irradiation duration is raised long enough for high-dose terahertz irradiation. The numerical simulations lay the basis for understanding the bioeffects of terahertz irradiation on Ca 2+ transmembrane transport and pave the way for further exploration in modulation of intracellular Ca 2+ concentration with terahertz electromagnetic wave.