For an effective tissue electropermeabilization, it is very important to have information about the electric field distribution using a defined set of electrodes. Computer simulations based on finite element models showed field distribution to be very localized and highly homogeneous with the new concept of contact wire electrodes. They can be used to treat the skin and subcutaneous tumors. The electrodes after drug or DNA intradermal injection were validated by clinical treatment of large surface skin tumors and by in vivo imaging of permeabilization or of gene expression.
COBISS.SI-ID: 7006036
The association of microneedles with electric pulses causing electroporation could result in an efficient and less painful delivery of drugs and DNA into the skin. Hollow conductive microneedles were used for (1) needlefree intradermal injection and (2) electric pulse application in order to achieve electric field in the superficial layers of the skin sufficient for electroporation. Effective injection of proteins into the skin was achieved, resulting in an immune response directed to the model antigen ovalbumin.
COBISS.SI-ID: 7847508
We made a comprehensive analysis of tissue heating as a potential side effect of electric pulses used for electroporation-based treatments. The analysis is based on a coupled electrothermal model using 3-D finite-element approach. We used short, high-voltage, electropermeabilizing pulses and longer, lower voltage, electrophoretic pulses. The results show that at specific pulse parameters at least locally tissue heating may be significant. For electrochemotherapy, this is not critical, but DNA electrotransfer may be unsuccessful due to heating-related DNA damage or denaturation.
COBISS.SI-ID: 7351892
he use of electric pulses to increase cell membrane permeability – electroporation – has also been used on skin for (a) enhanced transdermal molecular delivery or (b) the delivery of drugs or DNA into viable skin cells. Based on finite element numerical method, we theoretically described skin electropermeabilization and the amount of heating in and around an electrically created pore in the stratum corneum (SC). With the model, we address both, electrical as well as thermal effects on skin tissue.
COBISS.SI-ID: 8282708
Electroporator is a generator of electric pulses that is used for permeabilization of cells. There are five major concepts of electroporation design. Capacitor discharge, square wave generator, and analog generator are used to generate classical electroporation pulses that are longer than microsecond. Further, pulse forming network and resonant charging generators are used to generate nanosecond electroporation pulses. Basic concepts and foreseeable future developments in electroporator design are presented in this article.
COBISS.SI-ID: 8504916