Theoretical-Experimental Studies of Electric Field-Induced Cell Responses

Abstract

Tissue injury results in induction of endogenous electric field (EF) that mediates biophysical interactions in the ionic wound environment, which play a crucial role in tissue repair. Externally applied EF may therefore provide a promising therapeutic approach for wound healing; however, information on EF-cell interactions in the wound is limited. This research presents a combined theoretical-experimental approach to study EF interactions with fibroblasts (FBs) in vitro. The cell is modeled as a membrane-enclosed hemisphere surrounded by electrolyte. Maxwell's equations are solved numerically (ANSYS-HFSS) to obtain 3D EF distribution inside and near the cell subjected to an externally applied EF. Experimentally, FBs were exposed to the EF in a parallel-plate capacitor for 72 hours; cell morphology, proliferation and expression of pro-angiogenic growth factors were assessed. Theoretical results demonstrate the spatially-varying EF distribution in the cell membrane, where induced potential may be sufficient to regulate voltage-gated ion channel activation. Cell exposure to the EF resulted in significantly increased expression of placenta growth factor but no change in other parameters. Ongoing studies will determine the role of EF-mediated activation of voltage-gated channels in the cellular response, contributing to development of EF-based therapies for tissue repair.View Large Image | View Hi-Res Image | Download PowerPoint Slide