Dynamic Electroporation Modelling
type: CreativeWork
description: In this thesis, modelling and simulation of the effects of electric fields on a single spherical cell are undertaken. Of interest is the effect that different electric field waveforms have on the induced transmembrane potential of the cell and by consequence the electropermeabilization of the cell membrane in terms of pore density or the fraction of the cell area that the pores occupy. Conventional biotechnology processes of electroporation make use of unipolar electric field pulses, which are known to generate undesirable conditions such as asymmetrical electropermeabilization. These electrical protocols also contribute to lower efficiencies in electroporation based applications (in terms of uptake of molecules in the cell) by being sensitive to cell radii. Until recently, theoretical models of electroporation have lagged behind the experimental research. In order to optimize the efficiency of electroporation, it is important to consider as many biological and physical aspects as possible and it is a necessity that a variety of electric pulse parameters be tested. Thus a comprehensive model which can predict electropermeabilization as a result of any form of applied electric field and other important electroporation parameters is necessary. None of the existing theoretical modelling studies present simulations of dynamic electroporation modelling as a cell response to bipolar electric field wave-shapes. Developing such a model is the aim of this thesis. In this thesis two numerical models are developed. These models consider electroporation as a dynamic process and include the non-linear dynamic effects of membrane electropermeabilization. The first model assumes all pores are identical and small (0.76~nm radius) and is capable of simulating transmembrane potential and pore density temporally and spatially, given any form of applied electric field and other important electroporation system parameters such as external medium, membrane, and cytoplasm complex dielectr…
abstract: In this thesis, modelling and simulation of the effects of electric fields on a single spherical cell are undertaken. Of interest is the effect that different electric field waveforms have on the induced transmembrane potential of the cell and by consequence the electropermeabilization of the cell membrane in terms of pore density or the fraction of the cell area that the pores occupy. Conventional biotechnology processes of electroporation make use of unipolar electric field pulses, which are known to generate undesirable conditions such as asymmetrical electropermeabilization. These electrical protocols also contribute to lower efficiencies in electroporation based applications (in terms of uptake of molecules in the cell) by being sensitive to cell radii. Until recently, theoretical models of electroporation have lagged behind the experimental research. In order to optimize the efficiency of electroporation, it is important to consider as many biological and physical aspects as possible and it is a necessity that a variety of electric pulse parameters be tested. Thus a comprehensive model which can predict electropermeabilization as a result of any form of applied electric field and other important electroporation parameters is necessary. None of the existing theoretical modelling studies present simulations of dynamic electroporation modelling as a cell response to bipolar electric field wave-shapes. Developing such a model is the aim of this thesis. In this thesis two numerical models are developed. These models consider electroporation as a dynamic process and include the non-linear dynamic effects of membrane electropermeabilization. The first model assumes all pores are identical and small (0.76~nm radius) and is capable of simulating transmembrane potential and pore density temporally and spatially, given any form of applied electric field and other important electroporation system parameters such as external medium, membrane, and cytoplasm complex dielectr…
author: Talele, Sadhana
keywords: electroporation, modelling, alternating field
date published: 2009
date modified: 2026-07-24T05:57:41Z
provider: University Waikato
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: The University of Waikato