Membrane Electroporation: Biophysical and Biotechnical Aspects

  • Eberhard Neumann
  • Elvira Boldt
Chapter

Abstract

Transient membrane permeabilization by short high voltage pulses, nowadays called electroporation 1, as opposed to irreversible electric breakdown leading to cell lysis 2 or vesiculation, was at first recognized in 1972.3 Transient membrane electroporation is the fundamental basis of a series of modern electric techniques for the direct gene transfer 1 into all types of cells and microorganisms, for cell electrofusion or for appreciable stimulation of cell growth and cell regeneration. For a review see reference 4. Recently, it was reported that electric pulses mediate the insertion of proteins into electroporated membranes.5

Keywords

Corynebacterium Glutamicum Interfacial Polarization Electric Field Effect Electroporated Cell Direct Gene Transfer 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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References

  1. 1.
    E. Neumann, M. Schaefer-Ridder, Y. Wang, and P.H. Hofschnei- der, Gene transfer into mouse lyoma cells by electroporation in high electric fields, EMBO J. 1: 841–845 (1982).Google Scholar
  2. 2.
    A. J. H. Sale and W. A. Hamilton, Effects of high electric fields on micro-organisms, III. Lysis of erythrocytes and protoplasts, Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 163: 37–43 (1968).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  3. 3.
    E. Neumann and K. Rosenheck, Permeability changes induced by electric impulses in vesicular membranes, J. Membrane Biol. 10:279–290 (1972),Potential difference across vesicular membranesf J. Membrane Biol. 14: 194–196 (1973).Google Scholar
  4. 4.
    E. Neumann, The relaxation hysteresis of membrane electroporation, in: “Electroporation and Electrofusion in Cell Biology”, E. Neumann, A. Sowers, C. Jordan, eds. Plenum Press, New York (1989).Google Scholar
  5. 5.
    Y. Mouneimne, P.F. Tosi, Y. Gazitt, and C. Nicolau, Electro-insertion of xenoglycophorin into the red blood cell membrane, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comn. 159: 34–40 (1989).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  6. 6.
    H. Wolf, A. Piihler, and E. Neumann, Electrotransformation of intact and osmotically sensitive cells of corynebacterium glutamicum, Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 30: 283–289 (1989).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  7. 7.
    E. Neumann, The electroporation hysteresis, Ferroelectrics 86: 325–333 (1988)CrossRefGoogle Scholar

Copyright information

© Plenum Press, New York 1989

Authors and Affiliations

  • Eberhard Neumann
    • 1
  • Elvira Boldt
    • 1
  1. 1.Physical and Biophysical Chemistry Faculty of ChemistryUniversity of BielefeldBielefeld 1F.R.Germany

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