Ultrashort electrical pulses open a new gateway into biological cells

作者：Schoenbach KH^*; Joshi RP; Kolb JF; Chen NY; Stacey M; Blackmore PF; Buescher ES; Beebe SJ

来源：Proceedings of the IEEE, 2004, 92(7): 1122-1137.

DOI：10.1109/JPROC.2004.829009

• apoptosis
• biological cells
• calcium release
• electroporation
• intracellular electroeffects
• ultrashort electrical pulses

An electrical model for biological cells predicts that for pulses with durations shorter than the charging time of the outer membrane, there is an increasing probability of electric field interactions with intracellular structures. Experimental studies in which human cells were exposed to pulsed electric fields of up to 300-kV/cm amplitude, with durations as short as 10 ns, have confirmed this hypothesis. The observed effects include the breaching of intracellular granule membranes without permanent damage to the cell membrane, abrupt rises in intracellular free calcium levels, and enhanced expression of genes. At increased electric fields, the application of submicrosecond pulses induces apoptosis (programmed cell death) in biological cells, an effect that has been shown to reduce the growth of tumors. Possible applications of the intracellular electroeffect are enhancing gene delivery to the nucleus, controlling cell functions that depend on calcium release (causing cell immobilization), and treating tumors.

• 出版日期2004-7