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Cell membrane fluidity related to electroporation and resealing

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Abstract

In this paper, we report the results of a systematic attempt to relate the intrinsic plasma membrane fluidity of three different cell lines to their electroporation behaviour, which consists of reversible and irreversible electroporation. Apart from electroporation behaviour of given cell lines the time course required for membrane resealing was determined in order to distinguish the effect of resealing time from the cell’s ability to survive given electric pulse parameters. Reversible, irreversible electroporation and membrane resealing were then related to cell membrane fluidity as determined by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy and computer characterization of membrane domains. We found that cell membrane fluidity does not have significant effect on reversible electroporation although there is a tendency for the voltage required for reversible electroporation to increase with increased membrane fluidity. Cell membrane fluidity, however, may affect irreversible electroporation. Nevertheless, this effect, if present, is masked with different time courses of membrane resealing found for the different cell lines studied. The time course of cell membrane resealing itself could be related to the cell’s ability to survive.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport of the Republic of Slovenia. The authors wish to express their thanks to Zorka Stolič from the J. Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia, for technical assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Tržaška 25, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Maša Kandušer & Damijan Miklavčič

  2. Jozef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Marjeta Šentjurc

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  1. Maša Kandušer
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Correspondence to Damijan Miklavčič.

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Kandušer, M., Šentjurc, M. & Miklavčič, D. Cell membrane fluidity related to electroporation and resealing. Eur Biophys J 35, 196–204 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00249-005-0021-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00249-005-0021-y

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