A critical perspective on the foundations of cellular electrophysiology

A living cell has an interior fluidic soup (including organelles) surrounded by a lipid membrane and this simple and many times randomly distributed amorphous-mosaic system should carry out the complex function of regulating the steady-state dynamics of exchanges within and outside. As powering is fundamentally achieved with redox processes and electromagnetic force is the only mode for carrying out the mandates of life, the overall cellular homeostatic enterprise (including redox balance, ion-differentials and trans-membrane potential, radiative connectivity, maintaining phase compositions and thermal stature) should be contingent upon this crucial directive. Herein, we capture the overviews and fundamental specifics of this activity under two perspectives: the highly-acclaimed and long-standing membrane ion-pump theory, and the young turk in the field - murburn concept (which stands unchallenged, till date). We make ab initio analysis of founding principles and compare the two mechanistic purviews from historical (assumptions, deductions, aesthetics, individuals, etc.), mathematical, chemico-physical, evolutionary, structure-distribution, and experimental perspectives and come to the conclusion that murburn concept fares far better in all sectors, for explaining the homeostatic physiology of living cells.