Researchers at the University of Washington have recently discovered a ferroelectric effect in a porcine aorta. The only other organic substances which have been shown to exhibit this property are the seashells of some invertebrates, so the presence of ferroelectricty in a mammalian circulatory system very similar to our own is a startling discovery.
The Ferroelectric Property involves the molecular poles of a substance. The poles are aligned by an electric field, but can be effectively “switched” by a change in the electric field. The Ferroelectric Property refers to this ability to switch poles through electrical signaling. Ferroelectric materials are currently used as variable capacitors, in displays, as sensors, and in random access computer memory.
It is uncertain how this novel information will be applied in the medical field. It may better our understanding of the hardening of arteries in arteriosclerosis, a process exaggerated by glucose imbalance in patients with diabetes. For example, researchers are currently studying the effect of charged glucose molecules on the wall of “ferroelectric” aorta to understand any role this could play in arteriosclerosis. Furthermore, the ferroelectric property may influence binding of artery constricting cholesterol molecules, potentially playing a role in treating clogged arteries.
