Electroporation of cell membranes

Abstract

Electric pulses of intensity in kilovolts per centimeter and of duration in microseconds to milliseconds cause a temporary loss of the semipermeability of cell membranes, thus leading to ion leakage, escape of metabolites, and increased uptake by cells of drugs, molecular probes, and DNA. A generally accepted term describing this phenomenon is "electroporation." Other effects of a high-intensity electric field on cell membranes include membrane fusions, bleb formation, cell lysis... etc. Electroporation and its related phenomena reflect the basic bioelectrochemistry of cell membranes and are thus important for the study of membrane structure and function. These phenomena also occur in such events as electric injury, electrocution, and cardiac procedures involving electric shocks. Electroporation has found applications in: (a) introduction of plasmids or foreign DNA into living cells for gene transfections, (b) fusion of cells to prepare heterokaryons, hybridoma, hybrid embryos... etc., (c) insertion of proteins into cell membranes, (d) improving drug delivery and hence effectiveness in chemotherapy of cancerous cells, (e) constructing animal model by fusing human cells with animal tissues, (f) activation of membrane transporters and enzymes, and (g) alteration of genetic expression in living cells. A brief review of mechanistic studies of electroporation is given.

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

“…The technique relies on delivery of a sequence of electric pulses to target cells or tissues placed between electrodes, which leads to the entry of cell-impermeable molecules, including plasmid DNA (pDNA). 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.…”

A microfluidic biochip for the nanoporation of living cells

“…The effects of short and intense electric fields on biological cells have been studied for a long time as they are known to induce disturbances on the plasma membrane which can become permeable to various molecules (Tsong 1991). This temporary permeabilization of the plasma membrane allows genes or drugs entering into the cell cytosol.…”

Simultaneous Maximization of Cell Permeabilization and Viability in Single-Cell Electroporation Using an Electrolyte-Filled Capillary

“…When the membrane potential reaches a critical value which is around 0.2 − 1.5 V 4 dielectric membrane breakdown occurs resulting in the formation of transient pores [5][6][7] . Electroporation is most frequently used to introduce charged, polar molecules such as DNA, dyes, drugs or proteins into the interior of the cell.…”