Micro-Electroporation: Improving the Efficiency and Understanding of Electrical Permeabilization of Cells

Electroporation is commonly used in biotechnology to introduce macromolecules into cells. We have developed a microelectroporation chip that incorporates a live biological cell in the electrical circuit. The chip configuration forces electrical currents to pass through the cell, thereby producing electrically measurable information about the electroporation state of the cell. The cell membrane electrical properties make the cell function as a diode in the electroporation current-voltage range. The chip is transparent in the area of the cell to allow microscope viewing. during electroporation. This chip may be used to study the fundamental biophysics of cell electroporation and in biotechnology for controlled macromolecule introduction in individual cells. We describe the chip principle and show results on the electrical current-voltage pattern during reversible and irreversible electroporation in individual cells.