Quantum noise may limit the mechanosensory sensitivity of cilia in the left–right organizer of the vertebrate bodyplan

Abstract

Could nature be harnessing quantum mechanics in cilia to optimize the sensitivity of the mechanism of left–right symmetry breaking during development in vertebrates? I evaluate whether mechanosensing — i.e., the detection of a left-right asymmetric signal through mechanical stimulation of sensory cilia, as opposed to biochemical signalling — might be functioning in the embryonic left–right organizer of the vertebrate bodyplan through quantum mechanics. I conclude that there is a possible role for quantum biology in mechanosensing in cilia. The system may not be limited by classical thermal noise, but instead by quantum noise, with an amplification process providing active cooling.