Large-scale quantum effects in biological systems

Particular aspects of large-scale quantum effects in biological systems, such as biopolymers and also microtubules in the cytoskeleton of neurons which can have relevance in brain functioning, are discussed. The microscopic (quantum mechanical) and macroscopic (quantum statistical mechanical) aspects, and the emergence of complex behavior, are described. This phenomena consists of the large-scale coherent process of Frohlich-Bose-Einstein condensation in open and sufficiently far-from-equilibrium biopolymers. Associated with this phenomenon is the presence of Schrodinger-Davydov solitons, which propagate, undistorted and undamped, when embedded in the Frohlich-Bose-Einstein condensate, thus allowing for the transmission of signals at long distances, involving a question relevant to bioenergetics. (c) 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.