Life at the Cell and Below-Cell Level. The Hidden History of a Fundamental Revolution in Biology
by
Gilbert N. Ling, Ph.D.
Pacific Press
2001
ISBN 0-9707322-0-1
"Dr. Ling is one of the most inventive biochemist I have ever met."
Prof. Albert Szent-Györgyi, Nobel Laureate
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A Super-Glossary
for Words, Terms and Basic Concepts Used in the Book
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n: See Hill coefficient.
Na+: sodium ion, a sodium atom which has lost one
electron and thus becomes a monovalent cation carrying a single positive
charge.
Na channel: In the theory of action potential of Hodgkin and
Huxley, the cell membrane is normally impermeable to Na+
However, during activity, pore-like structures in the phospholipid
bilayer cell membrane called the sodium channel suddenly swing open
al-lowing a momentary inrush of Na+ creating the spike of the
action potential before its closure.
Na potential: In the theory of action potential of Hodgkin and
Huxley, the tendency or potential of Na+ to rush into
the cell when the Na channel is opened is called the Na potential. It is
supposed to be present at all times due to the much higher concentration
of this ion in the external medium than in the cell. In contrast, the
sodium potential according to the Al Hypothesis is created momentarily
and reversibly with the depolarization of the cell surface water and the
increase of the c-value of the surface β- and γ-carboxyl
groups.
Na-selective microelectrode: a glass microelectrode which can
penetrate and record the Na+ activity in a living cell.
NaCl: sodium chloride, table salt.
NaF: sodium fluoride.
Na, K-activated ATPase: First isolated from the membrane fraction
of crab nerve homogenate, this enzyme requires the presence of both K+
and Na+ for maximum activity in splitting off the terminal
phosphate group of, or dephosphorylating ATP.
Na-selective glass electrode: a glass electrode which shows
pronounced specific sensitivity to Na+. With such an
electrode one can measure the free Na+ concentration
(or more precisely, activity) in a solution. If one also determine the
total Na+ concentration in the solution, one can also
obtain the concentration of adsorbed or otherwise tethered Na+
by subtraction,
Nathanson's mosaic membrane theory: a theory of cell membrane
structure by A. Nathanson at the beginning of the 20th century In this
theory, the cell membrane is a mosaic of cholesterol and proteins
(protoplasm).
native protein: As the name suggests, native proteins should be
proteins as they exist in Nature. For most proteins this means as they
exist inside living cells. However, in reality, the term native protein
has gradually become identified with proteins in crystalline form.
Evidence exist which show that major proteins examined do not exist in
the socalled native state in living cells. {See [16.6(1.3)].}
native (globular) protein: See native protein.
near-neighbor interaction: interaction between near neighbors in
a cooperative assembly.
nearest neighbor interaction energy, -γ/2+:
The extra energy generated each time a new i-j neighboring pair is
created in a cooperative assembly of infinitely long chains of similar
sites on which one or the other of two alter-native species i and j are
adsorbed.
Necturus: salamander, mud puppy, an amphibian
superficially resembling lizards but without scales and covered with
soft skin, breathing by gills in the larval stage.
negative energy: The energy between a pair of interacting
positive charge (+e) and negative charge (-e) at a
distance, r, apart in vacuum is equal to [(+e)
× (-e)]/ r and the value is al-ways negative. Thus the
larger the magnitude of the (absolute) values of the charges and the
closer the distance r, the higher is not the energy but the negative
energy of the interaction.
negative entropy: Roughly entropy is a measure of randomness.
Negative entropy is a measure of order or organization.
nerve fiber: a common name for the long process of a nerve cell
also called a nerve axon, along which nerve impulses are conducted.
neuron: a nerve cell.
NH group: an imino group. In proteins an imino group and a
carbonyl group are parts of the peptide group (-NHCHRCO-) making up the
polypeptide chain. R is the side chain.
NH4+: ammonium ion.
Nitella: genus name of a kind of giant algae belong to the
family Characeae.
Nitella clavata: a species of Nitella.
nmoles: nanomoles, 10-9 mole.
NMR, nuclear magnetic resonance: When atoms like hydrogen, carbon
isotope C13, and sodium isotope Na23 in molecules
or in sol-ids are placed in a strong homogeneous magnetic field. Ho,
they absorb energy from oscillating electromagnetic pulses of a specific
(radiowave) frequency applied perpendicular to the direction of Ho
This specific frequency, called the resonance frequency, varies directly
with field Ho applied and with what is called magnetogyric ratio of the
atom under study. For hydrogen atom the resonance frequency is 42.576
megacycles per second at a field of 10,000 gauss or 1 tesla. However,
this is true only if all the secondary interfering factors are ignored.
In fact, it is precisely these secondary interfering factors that make
the study of nuclear magnetic resonance highly valuable, for these
variations tell us about the environment of the atoms involved and the
physical condition of the molecules containing the atom, e.g., Are these
molecules free or fixed? NMR was originally used by physicists to
measure the nuclear moments of the elements. Later, chemists found ways
to use NMR to determine molecular structures, etc. After the
introduction of the PM theory, NMR was used to test this theory of cell
water.
NMR resonance peak: When the absorption of energy of a sample in
an NMR spectrometer is plotted against the frequency of the radiowave
applied, a peak is observed corresponding to the resonance frequency of
that atom.
NMR rotational correlation time,
τr: a characteristic time for the molecule to rotate
through a radian or move over a distance comparable with its own
dimension.
NMR spectrometer: an instrument that measures and records the NMR
spectrum of a sample.
nonactin: an antibiotic which reversibly and preferentially binds
K+ and has been used as a model ionophore ferrying K+
across phospholipid bilayers.
non-dialyzable: A substance is non-dialyzable if it cannot pass
through a semipermeable membrane within a reasonably long period of
time.
nonelectrolytes: a substance like sugar and benzene which is not
appreciably ionized.
(NO-NO-NO)n: a colloidal system in which each chain of
linear polymers carrying alternatingly negatively-charged sites and
vacant sites at suitable distances apart is surrounded by n similar
chains.
nonsolvent: a medium which does not dissolve substances normally
dissolved in other similar media.
nonsolvent water: an early idea that water associated with
colloidal materials does not dissolve substances which dissolve in
normal liquid water This idea is at least partly incorrect.
NP-NP system: two juxtaposed surfaces each carrying a
checkerboard of alternatingly positively-charged P sites and
negatively-charged N sites at suitable distance apart.
NP-NP-NP system: a matrix of linear chains carrying alternatingly
negatively-charged sites and positively charged sites at suitable
distances apart.
(NP-NP-NP)n: a colloidal system in which each chain of
linear polymers carrying alternatingly negatively-charged sites and
positively-charged sites at suitable distances apart is surrounded by n
similar chains.
N site: a negatively charged site.
nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer: an instrument which can
exhibit and record the NMR spectrum of samples containing nuclides with
non-zero nuclear spin quantum numbers like H, C13, Na23.
nuclear membrane: membrane covering the nucleus of a cell.
nucleation center: the focus or center usually on a solid surface
where crystals of a chemical substance begins to form from that
sub-stance in a non-solid form.
nucleus (of a cell): a cellular organelle composed of nuclear sap
and nucleoprotein complex from which chromosomes and nucleoli arise and
is enclosed in a nuclear membrane.
nucleus (of an atom): the positively charged central body of an
atom containing nearly all the atom's mass and both protons and neutrons
except in hydrogen which contains only a proton.
null-point method: a method introduced in 1987 by Ling and Hu163
for the determination of the amount of water adsorbed on a protein or
polymer at near-saturation vapor pressure.
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