Electricity is the core of a single cell functionality as well, most biomolecules are on the exact boundary between a conductor and an insulator (and likely switch the state based on other molecules binding, pH, etc). A group of cells electricity is a higher level abstraction of that.

https://medium.com/the-physics-arxiv-blog/the-origin-of-life...

Here's a study from 2023 where they apply external electricity to improve healing rate of wounds:

https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2023/LC/D2LC0...

It enabled healing of diabetic wounds that are otherwise hard to heal.

Even since reading about Michael Levin's work, I've been sold that there is a lot going on in terms of bioelectricity outside of neurons. But I haven't seen that much progress. This is one interesting, albeit simple example.

>In this way, bioelectrical flow across cell membranes lets tissues test which cells are the least healthy and mark them for extrusion. “They’re always pushing against each other and bullying each other. And what they’re doing is probing each other for which one’s the weakest link,” Rosenblatt said. “It’s a community effect.”

This fits with my model of how high levels of cooperation succeed in biology. Even in a community as homogeneous as cells you have the risk of defectors (cancer), or just poor members. As such you need a process to continually test your community members.

makes me wonder what effect a low current flowing through the body would have on this process. would it hinder/disrupt this coordination?

Could this lead into how there are people who thing non ionising radiation sources affect them?

Michael Levine really opened my mind to phase space in biology.

Why not simply say electricity?

Yes, but how do they handle Byzantine fault tolerance?