Kiel 2004 – scientific programme

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PV: Plenarvorträge

PV III

PV III: Plenary Talk

Tuesday, March 9, 2004, 08:30–09:15, H\"orsaal G

Nanosecond Electrical Pulses open a new Gateway into Biological Cells — •K. H. Schoenbach¹, R.P. Joshi¹, J. F. Kolb¹, E.S. Buescher², and S.J. Beebe² — ¹Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia, USA — ²Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia, USA

An electrical model for biological cells predicts that for pulses with durations shorter than the charging time of the outer membrane there is an increasing probability for electric field interactions with intracellular structures. Experimental studies where human cells were exposed to pulsed electric field of up to 300 kV/cm amplitude with duration as short as 10 ns, have confirmed this hypothesis. The observed effects include breaching of intracellular granules without permanent damage to the cell membrane, abrupt rises in intracellular free calcium levels, enhanced expression of genes, and enhanced proliferation of cells. At increased electric fields the application of submicrosecond pulses induces apoptosis (programmed cell death) in biological cells, an effect, which has been shown to reduce the growth of tumors. Possible applications of the intracellular electro-effect are enhancing gene delivery to the nucleus, promoting functions in damaged or senescent cells, and treating tumors.