It is generally known that cells elongate perpendicularly to an electric field and move in the direction of the field when an electric field is applied. We have shown that irradiation of plasma-simulated nanosecond pulsed currents elongates cells, but the direction of cell elongation and migration has not been elucidated. In this study, a new time-lapse observation device that can apply nanosecond pulsed currents to cells was constructed, and software to analyze cell migration was created to develop a device that can sequentially observe cell behavior. The results showed nanosecond pulsed currents elongate cells but do not affect the direction of elongation and migration. It was also found the behavior of cells changes depending on the conditions of the current application.
Plasma irradiation leads not only active species, but also reactive chemical species, ultraviolet light, electric fields, magnetic fields, and shock waves. To date the effects of reactive chemical species have been mainly discussed. To understand the biological effect caused by an electric potential induced with an atmospheric-pressure plasma, the behavior of cell stimulated by electric potential was investigated using HeLa cell. The cell concentration assay revealed that less than 20% of cells inactivated by potential stimulation and the remained cells proliferate afterward. Fluorescent microscopic observation revealed that potential stimulation is appreciable to transport the molecules through membrane. These results show that potential stimulation induces intracellular and extracellular molecular transport, while the stimulation has a low lethal effect. A possible mechanism for this molecular transport by potential stimulation was also shown using numerical simulation based on an equivalent circuit of the experimental system including adhered HeLa cell. The potential formation caused by plasma generation is decisive in the contribution of plasma science to molecular biology and the elucidation of the mechanism underlying a biological response induction by plasma irradiation.
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