Feasibility of pulse power application in cell biology and cancer treatment: a review

In this review paper after various reported data from 2000 to 2016 published in IEEE and science direct, are analyzed and discussed to explore the feasibility of pulsed power application in cell biology. Targeting inhabitation of cancer/tumor proliferation treatment as main fields, some other associated topics e.g. effect on plasma membrane, apoptosis induction etc. are investigated in vitro and in vivo, it summarizes, HOW the nano second Pulse Electric Field (nsPEF) affects eukaryotic cells that are healthy as well as that are affected by tumor/cancer i.e. unhealthy. Term electroporation came into the picture which stands for opening pore in cell membrane using pulse of electricity, to introduce DNA or chromosomes into bacteria or other cells. Width of the applied electrical pulse used also caused different cellular effects, pulses longer than 100μs, in electroporation, delivers DNA, protein, small drugs and fluorescent indicators across the plasma membrane and causes moderate levels of Phosphatidyl Serine (PS) translocation at the Plasma Membrane, while shorter pulses less than 1μs are central to intracellular effects such as apoptosis induction (programmed cell death) and higher levels of Phosphatidyl Serine (PS) translocation. In addition, nsPEFs acts as cellular stress that introduces translational suppression. Ultra-short electricity i.e. nsPEFs can reach intra cellular component directly without membrane destruction causes apoptosis induction (programmed cell death). Also it has been found that direct current produced by applied voltage induces specific biological healing of tissues near the electrodes, also the effect of current is same as in ionizing radiation of tumor therapy. Chemotherapeutic drugs along with nsPEF reduces dose of both types of treatments. Also, nsPEFs causes transient activation of signaling pathways involving Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases (MAPKs). Now days, nsPEFs are recognized as unique tool in life science.