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Related Experiment Videos

High electrical field effects on cell membranes.

U Pliquett1, R P Joshi, V Sridhara

  • 1Frank Reidy Research Center for Bioelectrics 830 Southampton Ave., Suite 5100, Norfolk, VA 23510, United States.

Bioelectrochemistry (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
|November 25, 2006
PubMed
Summary
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High external voltages cause lipid membrane fragmentation beyond simple electroporation, leading to conductivity increases and temporary inactivation of cellular functions. This phenomenon also explains cell electrofusion observations.

Area of Science:

  • Biophysics
  • Cellular Electrophysiology
  • Membrane Science

Background:

  • Electroporation, characterized by sharp increases in membrane conductance, is a known response to electrical charging of lipid membranes.
  • Recent experimental observations at very high field strengths challenge the conventional understanding of simple electroporation.
  • Existing models do not fully account for cellular electrical responses under extreme voltage conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate cell electrical responses to very high external voltages.
  • To propose and validate a hypothesis extending the simple electroporation model.
  • To explain anomalous high-field electrical phenomena and their implications for cellular activity.

Main Methods:

  • Experimental analysis of cell electrical responses to high external voltages.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Molecular dynamics simulations to support the proposed hypothesis.
  • Comparison of experimental findings with existing literature on electroporation and high-field effects.

    • Main Results:

    • High external voltages induce not only aqueous pore formation but also nanoscale membrane fragmentation and potential micelle formation.
    • Observed conductivity increases exceed those predicted by simple electroporation models and exhibit a rapid decrease with external voltage.
    • Evidence suggests material loss at the anode side of cells, consistent with previous high-field studies.
    • Molecular dynamics simulations qualitatively support the proposed mechanism of membrane fragmentation.

    Conclusions:

    • Cellular responses to very high voltages involve membrane fragmentation, a phenomenon beyond standard electroporation.
    • This fragmentation contributes to significant conductivity increases and may temporarily inactivate voltage-gated ion channels and ion pumps without causing cell death.
    • The proposed hypothesis provides a unified explanation for diverse high-field electrical phenomena, including electrofusion and material loss.