We developed and tested a Blumlein generator for highvoltage (up to 1000 V) nanosecond pulses with high repetition rate (up to 100 kHz), variable duration (from 30 to 200 ns) and polarity. We developed a microelectrodes that allow us to generate well-defined and relatively homogeneous electric field in a 100 micrometer gap. Both devices together enable us to apply nanosecond pulses and to observe its affects on cells under the microscope. With the developed generator we showed that we can electropermeabilize endocytotic vesicles and inevitably also the plasma membrane.
COBISS.SI-ID: 7346772
We demonstrated experimentally that DNA/membrane interaction and gene expression are affected by reversing the polarity and by increasing the repetition rate of electric pulses in gene electrotransfer. The obtained results reveal the existence of metastable and stable DNA/membrane complex. We showed that only DNA belonging to the stable complex leads to effective gene expression and that the formation time of DNA/membrane complex is of the order of a second, which can be used to improve protocols of electro-mediated gene delivery.
COBISS.SI-ID: 7524436