Gene transfer by pulsed electric field is highly promising in cutaneous wound healing.

INTRODUCTION: Tremendous progress has been achieved during the last decades in electroporation-based technologies for medicine. Understanding the basic underlying mechanisms of gene delivery opens the way for clinical gene therapy and DNA vaccination. AREAS COVERED: This review focuses on the use of gene electrotherapy in cutaneous tissue repair and how it affects healing. EXPERT OPINION: Gene electrotherapy is safe, efficient and promising as shown by the increasing number of publications reporting evidence for its potential in wound healing. Going deeper into the mechanisms of DNA delivery and expression as well as into skin regeneration at the molecular, cellular and tissues levels will help make it an attractive approach for the treatment of skin pathologies in general.