Magneto-elasto-electroporation (MEEP): In-vitro visualization and numerical characteristics

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biotechnology
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Electroporation is a key technique for cell membrane permeabilization.
• Existing methods for electroporation can lack precision and efficiency.
• Magnetoelectric nanoparticles offer potential for novel remote control applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To discover and characterize a novel magnetically controlled electroporation phenomenon.
• To investigate the interaction between core-shell magnetoelectric nanoparticles (CSMEN) and biological cells.
• To explore the potential of CSMEN as nano-probes for targeted cell permeation.

Main Methods:

• In-vitro experiments using core (CoFe2O4)-shell (BaTiO3) magnetoelectric nanoparticles and human epithelial cells (HEP2).
• Application of alternating current (a.c.) magnetic fields to modulate CSMEN behavior.
• Analysis of crystallographic phases, multiferroic properties, and cytotoxicity of CSMEN.
• Development of mathematical formalism to describe the observed phenomena.

Main Results:

• Discovery of magneto-elasto-electroporation (MEEP), a magnetically controlled electroporation effect.
• Demonstrated correlation between magnetic field modulation of CSMEN and cell electroporation.
• Confirmed the potential of CSMEN for electroporation through material and biological assessments.
• Quantified the MEEP phenomenon using mathematical modeling.

Conclusions:

• CSMEN can induce and control electroporation via external magnetic fields, termed MEEP.
• CSMEN function as effective electric pulse-generating nano-probes for electroporation.
• MEEP offers a pathway toward accurate and efficient targeted cell permeation applications.