Biomaterial Database

Chronopotentiometric studies of electroporation of bilayer lipid membranes. 1998

S Kalinowski, and G Ibron, and K Bryl, and Z Figaszewski

University of Warsaw, Bialystok Branch, Institute of Chemistry, Al. J. Pilsudskiego 11/4, 15-443 Bialystok, Poland.

The constant-intensity current chronopotentiometric measurements of egg yolk phosphatidylcholine bilayer membranes (BLM) are presented. It is demonstrated that a constant-intensity current flowing through the bilayer membranes generates the pores in their structures. For the current intensity from 0.1 to 2.0 nA, the generated pores open and close cyclically. The frequency of oscillations depends on the current intensity: the higher current intensity, the higher frequency of pore oscillations. It is suggested that the presented method may allow to create one pore in BLM and to observe its dynamical behaviour. Based on chronopotentiometric curves, a method of pore conductance calculations is presented. It is demonstrated that the value of obtained conductance can be applied for pore diameter estimation. The hypothetical application of constant-current method as a biotechnological tool for selective and controlled incorporation of molecules into microorganisms is discussed.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008051	Lipid Bilayers	Layers of lipid molecules which are two molecules thick. Bilayer systems are frequently studied as models of biological membranes.	Bilayers, Lipid,Bilayer, Lipid,Lipid Bilayer
D011199	Potentiometry	Solution titration in which the end point is read from the electrode-potential variations with the concentrations of potential determining ions. (From McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed)
D002909	Chronobiology Phenomena	Biological systems as affected by time. Aging, biological rhythms, and cyclic phenomena are included. Statistical, computer-aided mathematical procedures are used to describe, in mathematical terminology, various biological functions over time.	Chronobiology Concepts,Chronobiology Phenomenon,Chronobiology Concept,Concept, Chronobiology,Concepts, Chronobiology,Phenomena, Chronobiology,Phenomenon, Chronobiology
D018274	Electroporation	A technique in which electric pulses, in kilovolts per centimeter and of microsecond-to-millisecond duration, cause a loss of the semipermeability of CELL MEMBRANES, thus leading to ion leakage, escape of metabolites, and increased uptake by cells of drugs, molecular probes, and DNA. Depending on the dosage, the formation of openings in the cell membranes caused by the electric pulses may or may not be reversible.	Electric Field-Mediated Cell Permeabilization,Irreversible Electroporation,Reversible Electroporation,Electropermeabilisation,Electric Field Mediated Cell Permeabilization,Electroporation, Irreversible,Electroporation, Reversible