Analysing the effects of surface distribution of pores in cell electroporation for a cell membrane containing cholesterol

Abstract

This paper presents a model and numerical analysis (simulations) of transmembrane potential induced in biological cell membrane under the influence of externally applied electric field (i.e., electroporation). This model differs from the established models of electroporation in two distinct ways. Firstly, it incorporates the presence of cholesterol (~20% mole-fraction) in biological membrane. Secondly, it considers the distribution of pores as a function of the variation of φ m from one region of the cell to another. Formulation is based on the role of membrane tension and electrical forces in the formation of pores in a cell membrane, which is considered as an infinitesimally thin insulator. The model has been used to explore the process of creation and evolution of pores and to determine the number and size of pores as a function of applied electric field (magnitude and duration). Results show that the presence of cholesterol enhances poration by changing the membrane tension. Analyses indicate that the number of pores and average pore radii differ significantly from one part of the cell to the other. While some regions of the cell membrane undergo rapid and dense poration, others remain unaffected. The method can be a useful tool for a more realistic prediction of pore formation in cells subjected to electroporation. 0

Microfluidics cell electroporation

“…This theory is based on the energy minimum principle and valid for the uniformly polarized membrane. Many other studies utilized this approach to investigate the effect of different parameters on cell electroporation such as field strength and rest potential (DeBruin and Krassowska 1999a), ionic concentration (DeBruin and Krassowska 1999b), duration and frequency of electrical shock (Bilska et al 2000), electroporation of circular cells (Shil 2008;Talele et al 2010), cellular uptake of macromolecules (Zaharoff et al 2008), and feedback control of generated pore radii (Cukjati et al 2007). …”

Involvement of a Rac1-Dependent Macropinocytosis Pathway in Plasmid DNA Delivery by Electrotransfection

“…22,23 Although electrotransfection has been implemented as a powerful tool in both basic research and clinical applications, [24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32] the exact mechanism of electro-gene transfer is still largely unknown. [33][34][35][36] One of the most popular mechanisms, known as the "pore theory," states that, when electric-field-induced transmembrane potential exceeds a certain threshold, transient pores will form in the plasma membrane, [37][38][39][40][41][42] allowing extracellular molecules to enter cytoplasm through diffusion, electrophoresis, and/or electro-osmosis. 43 Thus, the technique has also been called electroporation in the literature.…”

Single-Cell Transfection by Electroporation Using an Electrolyte/Plasmid-Filled Capillary

“…As opposed to the prompt entering of PI into the cells after the pulses, the plasmid aggregated in the electropermeabilized part of the cells before it was transferred into the cytoplasm in the following minutes post the pulses 24. Although it is not known from direct experimental observation, a large number of theoretical papers claim that the pore size is about 1 nm in the electroporated region of the cell 25–27. This is obviously not sufficiently large for molecules like a DNA plasmid to diffuse through freely.…”