Electroporation: Application in Biology and Medicine

Electroporation is a phenomenon where a cell membrane is temporarily made permeable exposure to an intense electric field. It is a physical method primarily used for introducing genes into wide array of cell types, both eukaryotic and prokaryotic, including animal cells, plant cells, unicellular organisms such as algae or yeast, parasites and bacteria. Besides genes, electroporation can also be applied to introduce other types of molecules into cells ranging from small ions such as calcium to large molecules such as proteins, enzymes, antibodies and drugs. Recently, it has been used as a clinical tool for targeting and enhancing uptake of chemotherapeutic agents by tumours and also as a non-invasive means to enhance transdermal transport of drugs. This article briefly reviews the technique of electroporation and its major applications in biology and medicine.