Organism Semiconduction - The Biophysical Basis in Bone
I won’t spend too much time here discussing semiconduction because I’ve gone over it quite a bit in the past and quite extensively in my book series. I do think it’s worth touching on again though. Dr. Robert O. Becker led some groundbreaking research on biological semiconduction. His work in bioelectromagnetics revolutionized our view of how electrical properties govern healing and growth. Documented in books such as The Body Electric, along with his various publications, his experiments revealed that tissues (especially bone) exhibit semiconductive behaviors. These natural electrical currents guide cellular processes during injury repair and mechanical stress adaptation.
Semiconduction
Semiconductors form the basis of modern electronics. They allow controlled electron flow essential to devices from computers to smartphones. Their conductivity lies between that of a conductor and an insulator, which stems from the specific organization of energy bands. In a typical semiconductor, the valence band sits just below the conduction band, separated by a small energy gap. At low temperatures, electrons fill the valence band, leaving the conduction band nearly empty. Thermal or photonic energy can lift electrons into the conduction band. This jump liberates them to move and enables electrical conduction when certain conditions are met.
Doping is critical in tuning these properties. Introducing impurity atoms alters charge-carrier density and changes the semiconductor’s behavior. Adding atoms like phosphorus or arsenic (with extra electrons) produces N-type material, which provides negative charge carriers. Using boron or gallium (with fewer electrons) creates P-type material, generating positive holes as charge carriers. Combining P- and N-type materials at a junction gives electronics their rectifying behavior. Current then flows in one direction only which is vital for diodes and transistors. Certain biological systems also exhibit semiconductor-like properties. Some proteins and other organic molecules can conduct current when conditions allow.
Biological Semiconduction
While silicon-based semiconductors dominate electronics, emerging studies—including Becker’s findings—indicate that bone tissue shares these characteristics. This link between physics and biology implies that bone harnesses semiconduction to manage growth, repair, and intercellular signaling. This discovery offers insight into how tissues maintain structural integrity and drive healing.
The bone matrix is a composite of collagen fibers and apatite crystals. This arrangement confers piezoelectric properties. Mechanical stress (compression/tension) generates small electrical potentials across the matrix. These local potentials initiate remodeling processes that adapt bone architecture to changing loads. Collagen-apatite interfaces resemble a P-N junction. The mineral apatite acts like P-type material, producing holes, while collagen acts like N-type material, providing electrons. Together, they channel electrical charges in a directional manner.
This flow of charge instructs bone cells where to strengthen or repair. Collagen aligns with stress lines, guiding electrical signals where they are needed. This arrangement agrees with Wolff’s Law, which states that bone reforms along lines of mechanical force. The bioelectric signals direct osteocytes, which then coordinate osteoblasts (bone-building cells) and osteoclasts (bone-resorbing cells). In effect, bone’s piezoelectric behavior mimics engineered piezoelectric devices. Mechanical force → localized electrical signal → structural reinforcement.
Electrical Stimulation and Regenerative Potential
Therapeutic electrical stimulation leverages bone’s natural semiconductive traits. Researchers like Becker found that external electrical currents can mimic the piezoelectric signals in stressed bone. This technique promotes healing and tissue regeneration. Clinical devices that deliver small currents have been successful in accelerating fracture repair (bone stimulators).
Unlike uniform silicon wafers, bone has a complex matrix of collagen fibers and apatite crystals. Mechanical stress triggers a biphasic electrical response with alternating polarity across these components. This polarity shift resembles current rectification in synthetic semiconductors. It steers osteoblasts to deposit new bone where extra strength is required. This polarity-based mechanism preserves a balance between formation and resorption and ensures that bones match the demands placed upon them.
Future Directions and Therapeutic Applications
Biological semiconduction presents a promising path for biomedical engineering. Noninvasive strategies could harness piezoelectric effects in cartilage, tendons, and other tissues to speed healing. By shaping electrical fields or adding piezoelectric materials, we can redirect cellular growth patterns and reduce reliance on invasive therapies.
This work extends physics into biology by showing how tissues use charge flow to regulate function. Bone is a central node in this semiconductive network. As I’ve discussed in Earth & Water, bone’s semiconductive traits connect to a broader matrix spanning the entire body. The implications for regenerative medicine are significant. Exploiting the body’s existing electrical and mechanical processes can advance healing methods that promote resilience and quicker recovery.
Summary
Biological semiconduction shows that certain tissues, notably bone, operate like engineered semiconductors. The collagen-apatite matrix generates piezoelectric signals under stress, serving as a feedback loop for remodeling and repair (Wolff’s Law). Apatite and collagen act like P- and N-type materials and form a natural junction that directs charge flow and guides cell behavior.
Bone’s semiconductive behavior merges physics and biology and reveals how the body self-regulates and adapts to physical loads via bioelectric cues. Electrical stimulation devices already help fractures mend faster and confirms that guided charges accelerate tissue repair. Understanding how this natural semiconductor framework operates allows insights into regenerative medicine. This knowledge can be applied to osteoporotic treatments and other degenerative conditions by channeling the body’s intrinsic electrical-energy systems to restore function.
Helpful Resources:
BASSETT CA, BECKER RO. Generation of electric potentials by bone in response to mechanical stress. Science. 1962 Sep 28;137(3535):1063-4. doi: 10.1126/science.137.3535.1063. PMID: 13865637.
Becker, R. O., & Selden, G. (1985). The Body Electric: Electromagnetism and the Foundation of Life. William Morrow and Company.
https://www.robertobecker.net/PDFs/BF033-JArkMedSoc1966.pdf
Spadaro JA, Becker RO. Function of implanted cathodes in electrode-induced bone growth. Med Biol Eng Comput. 1979 Nov;17(6):769-75. doi: 10.1007/BF02441560. PMID: 317920.
https://robertobecker.net/PDFs/BF024-BoneBiodynamics1964.pdf