Electric Pulses
Electric Pulses - Related Videos
04:46
Changing the Direction and Orientation of Electric Field During Electric Pulses Application Improves Plasmid Gene Transfer in vitro
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Cited by 2 •
2011
Gene transfection by electroporation is improved approximately two times when orientation of electric field is changed during pulse application, while cell viability is not affected. The increase in gene transfection is caused by the increase of the membrane area which is made competent for DNA entry into the cell.
02:15
Regulating Schwann Cell Growth In Vitro Using the Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Field Technique
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2025
Source: Han, J., et.al. Regulating Schwann Cell Growth by Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Field for Peripheral Nerve Regeneration In Vitro. J. Vis. Exp. (2024)This video demonstrates the application of the nanosecond pulsed electric field (nsPEF) technique to modulate Schwann cell (SC) growth. The rapid electric pulses induce transient nanopores in SC membranes, facilitating calcium influx that activates signaling pathways driving SC proliferation, dedifferentiation, and neurotrophic factor...
03:04
siRNA Encapsulation into Exosomes Using Electroporation: An Electric Pulse Based Technique to Load siRNA into Exosomes
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2023
This video describes an electroporation-based method for encapsulating siRNA into exosomes. The siRNA-loaded exosomes can then be used for therapeutic applications.
11:02
Flexible Organic Electronic Devices for Pulsed Electric Field Therapy of Glioblastoma
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Cited by 2 •
2022
This work describes the development of flexible interdigitated electrodes for implementation in 3D brain tumor models, namely, in vitro culture, in ovo model, and in vivo murine model. The proposed method can be used to evaluate the effects of pulsed electric fields on tumors at different levels of complexity.
03:59
Electroporation-Mediated In Vitro Gene Delivery: An Electric Pulse Technique to Introduce Fluorescent Reporter Protein-Encoding Plasmids Into Cultured Cells
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2025
This video demonstrates the electroporation technique that introduces fluorescent protein-encoding plasmid DNA into mouse primary cerebellar granule cell precursors.
FAQs
An applied electric field changes the membrane potential, or voltage difference across the cell membrane. If the pulse is sufficiently strong or lasts long enough, it can produce temporary pores in the lipid bilayer, allowing the cell to become permeable. This controlled change underlies electroporation and can support delivery of biological materials or other compounds.
Pulse strength, duration, frequency, and polarity jointly influence the biological outcome. Weaker conditions can stimulate excitable tissues, whereas stronger or longer exposure can permeabilize membranes. Further adjustment may cause irreversible damage rather than temporary change. Researchers therefore vary these parameters to control whether cells are stimulated, temporarily permeabilized, or irreversibly affected.
The distinction depends on whether membrane changes recover after the pulse exposure. Conditions that create temporary pores can leave cells permeabilized while preserving the intended biological system, whereas more intense or prolonged conditions can produce irreversible damage. This difference matters when selecting electric pulses for delivery, cell manipulation, tissue engineering, or experimental studies of cell responses.
In excitable tissues, relatively weak pulses can alter membrane voltage and stimulate cellular activity without primarily relying on membrane permeabilization. This makes the technique useful in neurophysiological research, where investigators examine how controlled electrical inputs affect biological responses. Pulse parameters provide a way to vary the stimulus and compare outcomes across experimental conditions.
Researchers adjust pulse strength, duration, frequency, and polarity according to the intended cellular response. These variables determine how the electric field influences membrane potential and whether membrane pores form temporarily or damage becomes irreversible. Controlling them helps align the exposure with a specific goal, such as stimulation, permeabilization, gene delivery, or cell fusion.
By temporarily creating pores in the lipid bilayer, electroporation can increase membrane permeability and provide a route for introducing genes or drugs into cells. The exposure must be controlled so that permeability occurs without producing irreversible damage. This balance makes electric pulses useful in biological and biotechnological delivery approaches where cellular access is required.
Electric-pulse methods support several applications, including gene and drug delivery, cell fusion, tissue engineering, and neurophysiological research. The relevant outcome differs by application: temporary permeabilization supports transport across membranes, controlled stimulation affects excitable tissues, and deliberate cellular damage can be studied when irreversible effects are the objective. Parameter selection connects the mechanism to each use.