Time course of electrical and diffusional parameters during and after electroporation

Abstract

Electric pulses increase plasma cell membrane conductivity and permeability which consequently allow introduction of molecules into cells which are otherwise not passing the membrane. This molecular transport is controlled by pulse parameters. Although this method (named electroporation) is successfully used in biomedical and biotechnological applications, its exact mechanisms are still not completely understood and some experimental observations have not yet been fully explained. We have developed a combined model based on chemical-kinetics model of electroporation together with a molecular transport model to find temporal and spatial evolution of electric and diffusion parameters considering self consistency of parameters. Using this combined model, we studied effects of different electric pulse parameters on time dependency of induced transmembrane voltage, conductivity and permeability of the membrane, during and after the pulse. As a result, the molecular uptake of the cell exposed to electric pulses can be obtained for specific pulse parameters. The results we obtained by using this model are in good agreement with experimental observations previously reported.