Electroporation and Behind: The Action of Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Field

The electrical properties of cells and tissue during electroporation at moderate field strength (E < 2 kV/cm) and its recovery after high voltage application is compared to the behavior due to nanosecond pulsed electric field (nsPEF) with a field strength exceeding 10 kV/cm. Key features at nsPEF are the extremely high conductivity and the fast decay in conductivity after the pulse. Based on experimental results a hypothetical mechanism for the action of extremely high field strength on the level of bilayer membranes is given. This involves the disintegration of membrane structures so that lipid molecules form micellar structures. The extremely fast recovery is due to self organization in the absence of stable pore structures.