Electric field-driven water dipoles: nanoscale architecture of electroporation.

ABSTRACT: Electroporation is the formation of permeabilizing structures in the cell membrane under the influence of an externally imposed electric field. The resulting increased permeability of the membrane enables a wide range of biological applications, including the delivery of normally excluded substances into cells. While electroporation is used extensively in biology, biotechnology, and medicine, its molecular mechanism is not well understood. This lack of knowledge limits the ability to control and fine-tune the process. In this article we propose a novel molecular mechanism for the electroporation of a lipid bilayer based on energetics analysis. Using molecular dynamics simulations we demonstrate that pore formation is driven by the reorganization of the interfacial water molecules. Our ener

SUBMITTER: Tokman M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3623848 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature