ABSTRACT
Every cell is distinguished from its environment by means of a semipermeable membrane. This membrane plays a crucial role in the ability of the cell to function; the loss of membrane integrity, except for brief periods, would almost certainly lead to the cell’s death. Manipulation of the cell membrane permeability has been long sough after by many researchers as a means of controlling cells and tissues. A controlled method of inserting or extracting certain substances from the cell without compromising its viability may be at the foundation of molecular medicine where drugs or genes can be directed
T&F Cat#65416,
and
toward a cell to alter its behavior. One prominent method of modifying the permeability of the membrane is the use of electric fields to create a large transmembrane potential in a process known as electroporation.
