Scanning electroporation of selected areas of adherent cell cultures
Journal article, 2007

We present a computer-controlled scanning electroporation method. Adherent cells are electroporated using an electrolyte-filled capillary in contact with an electrode. The capillary can be scanned over a cell culture and locally deliver both an electric field and an electroporation agent to the target area without affecting surrounding cells. The instantaneous size of the targeted area is determined by the dimensions of the capillary. The size and shape of the total electroporated area are defined by these dimensions in combination with the scanning pattern. For example, striped and serpentine patterns of electroporated cells in confluent cultures can be formed. As it is easy to switch between different electroporation agents, the method is suitable for design of cell cultures with complex composition. Finite element method simulations were used to study the spatial distributions of the electric field and the concentration of an electroporation agent, as well as the fluid dynamics related to scanning and flow of electroporation agent from the capillary. The method was validated for transfection by introduction of a 9-base-pair-long randomized oligonucleotide into PC12 cells and a pmaxGFP plasmid coding for green fluorescent protein into CHO and WSS cells.

Author

Jessica Olofsson

Chalmers

M. Levin

Cellectricon AB

A. Stromberg

Cellectricon AB

S. G. Weber

University of Pittsburgh

F. Ryttsen

Cellectricon AB

Owe Orwar

Chalmers, Chemical and Biological Engineering, Physical Chemistry

Analytical Chemistry

0003-2700 (ISSN) 1520-6882 (eISSN)

Vol. 79 12 4410-4418

Subject Categories

Chemical Sciences

DOI

10.1021/ac062140i

More information

Latest update

9/10/2018