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Delivery of Genes In Vivo Using Pulsed Electric Fields

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Electrochemotherapy, Electrogenetherapy, and Transdermal Drug Delivery

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Medicine ((MIMM,volume 37))

Abstract

The first research that focused on the effects of pulsed electric fields on living cells described the phenomena of reversible and irreversible membrane breakdown in an in vitro environment in the 1960s and 1970s (1–6). This early research led to the current understanding that exposing cells to intense electric fields induces a transmembrane potential that is superposed on the resting potential. Induced potentials of sufficient magnitude cause a dielectric breakdown of the membrane. This physical phenomenon was termed electroporation, or electropermeabilization, because it was observed that molecules that do not normally pass through the membrane gain intracellular access after the cells were treated with electric fields.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL

    Mark J. Jaroszeski & Richard Heller

  2. Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL

    Richard Gilbert

  3. Blood Research and Development Laboratory, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA

    Claude Nicolau

  4. Ecole Superieure de Biotechnolgie, Université Luis Pasteur, Strausborg, France

    Claude Nicolau

Authors
  1. Mark J. Jaroszeski
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  2. Richard Gilbert
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  3. Claude Nicolau
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  4. Richard Heller
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of South Florida College of Medicine, USA

    Mark J. Jaroszeski PhD  & Richard Heller PhD  & 

  2. University of South Florida College of Engineering, USA

    Richard Gilbert PhD

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© 2000 Humana Press Inc.

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Jaroszeski, M.J., Gilbert, R., Nicolau, C., Heller, R. (2000). Delivery of Genes In Vivo Using Pulsed Electric Fields. In: Jaroszeski, M.J., Heller, R., Gilbert, R. (eds) Electrochemotherapy, Electrogenetherapy, and Transdermal Drug Delivery. Methods in Molecular Medicine, vol 37. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1385/1-59259-080-2:173

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1385/1-59259-080-2:173

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-89603-606-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-59259-080-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

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