Multiphysics modelling of electroporation under uni- or bipolar nanosecond pulse sequences

Area of Science:

• Biophysics
• Computational Biology
• Electrical Engineering

Background:

• Electroporation is a key technique for altering cell membrane permeability.
• Understanding the underlying physics of electroporation, especially at the nanoscale, is crucial for optimizing its applications.
• Existing models often simplify membrane properties and pore dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a nonlinear dispersive multiphysics model for single-cell electroporation.
• To investigate the distinct and combined effects of membrane dispersion and dynamic pore radius on electroporation.
• To simulate cellular responses to various nanosecond pulsed electric field (nsPEF) sequences.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a time-domain Debye model for membrane dispersion.
• Incorporated a dynamic pore radius function to modify plasma membrane conductivity.
• Employed the Nernst-Planck function to model ion concentration distributions.
• Simulated responses to single, unipolar, and bipolar nsPEF sequences.

Main Results:

• Membrane dispersion increased transmembrane potential and expedited electroporation but reduced permeability.
• Dynamic pore radius function had opposing effects on transmembrane potential and permeability compared to dispersion.
• Unipolar pulse sequences showed cumulative effects on pore radius and perforation area, influenced by pulse frequency and interval.
• Bipolar pulse sequences demonstrated a cancellation effect on membrane permeability and pore radius.

Conclusions:

• The developed multiphysics model accurately captures the complex interplay of physical factors in single-cell electroporation.
• Membrane dispersion and dynamic pore radius significantly modulate electroporation outcomes, offering targets for model refinement.
• Pulse sequence parameters critically influence cellular response, with implications for optimizing nsPEF-based therapies.