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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.