Numerical modeling of bi-polar (AC) pulse electroporation of single cell in microchannel to create nanopores on its membrane.

AC electroporation of a single cell in a microchannel was numerically studied. A 15 μm diameter cell was considered in a microchannel 25 μm in height and the influences of AC electric pulse on its membrane were numerically investigated. The cell was assumed to be suspended between two electroporative electrodes embedded on the walls of a microchannel. An amplitude and a time span of applied electric pulse were chosen to be 80 kV/m and 10 μs, respectively. For different frequency values (50, 100, 200, and 500 kHz), simulations were performed to show how the cell membrane was electroporated and the creation of nanopores. Obtained numerical results show that the most and the largest nanopores are created around poles of cell (nearest points of cell membrane to the electrodes). The numerical simulations also demonstrate that increased frequency will slightly decrease electroporated area of the cell membrane; additionally, growth of the created nanopores will be stabilized. It has also been proven that size and number of the created nanopores will be decreased by moving from the poles to the equator of the cell. There is almost no nanopore created in the vicinity of the equator. Frequency affects the rate of generation of nanopores. In case of AC electroporation, creation of nanopores has two phases that periodically repeat over time. In each period, the pore density sharply increases and then becomes constant. Enhancement of the frequency will result in decrease in time span of the periods. In each period, size of the created nanopores sharply increases and then slightly decreases. However, until the AC electric pulse is present, overall trends of creation and development of nanopores will be ascending. Variation of the size and number of created nanopores can be explained by considering time variation of transmembrane potential (difference of electric potential on two sides of cell membrane) which is clear in the results presented in this study.