Abstract
The use of electrical fields to guide, hold and fuse cells is described. The electrical fusion process consists of two steps: the cells are collected to form pearl-chains between Pt electrodes by the action of dielectrophoresis, then a brief DC pulse is applied, such that the breakdown voltage of the membranes is briefly exceeded and cell-to-cell juncture of the membranes occurs around the pore formed by the pulse. Giant fused cells (diameter up to 100 m) can be formed by the electrically mediated fusion of mouse 3T3 fibroblast cells, provided that pronase is added just before field application.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Ahkong, Q.F.; Blow, A.M.J.; Botham, G.M.; Launder, J.J.; Quirk, S.J.; Lucy, J.A. 1978. FEBS Lett.95, 147–152.
Baker, P.F.; Knight, D.E. 1979. Trends Neurol. Sci.2, 288.
Benz, R; Conti. F. 1981. Biochim. Biophys. Acta645, 115–123.
Benz, R.; Zimmermann, U. 1980. Biochim. Biophys. Acta597, 637–642.
Donlon, J.A., Rothstein, A. 1969. J. Membrane Biol.1, 37–52.
Jeltsch, E.; Zimmermann, U. 1979. Bioelectrochem. Bioenerg.6, 349–384.
Kohler, G.; Milstein, C. 1975. Nature256, 495.
Lafon, E.E.; Pohl, H.A., 1981. J. Biol. Phys.9, 209–217.
Lucy, J.A. 1978. In: MEMBRANE FUSION (G. Poste and G.L. Nicholson, eds.) Elsevier/North Holland, Amsterdam, pp. 267–304.
Olsson, L.; Kaplan, H.S. 1980. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA77, 5429.
Pilwat, G; Richter, H.-P; Zimmermann, U. 1981. FEBS Lett.133, 169–174.
Pilwat, G.; Zimmermann, U.; Schnabl, H. 1980. In PLANT MEMBRANE TRANSPORT: CURRENT CONCEPTUAL ISSUES (R.M. Spanswich, W.J. Lucas and J. Dainty, eds.) Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp. 475–478.
Pohl, H.A. 1973. J. Biol. Physics,1, 1.
Pohl, H.A. 1978a. DIELECTROPHORESIS. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, England.
Pohl, H.A. 1978b. "Dielectrophoresis; Applications to Characterization and Separation of Cells," In METHODS OF CELL SEPARATION,1, 67–169, (N. Catsimpoolas, ed.). Plenum Press, NY.
Pohl, H.A. and Pollock, K. 1982. In ELECTRICAL FIELD EFFECTS IN MEMBRANES (H. Zimmermann and R. Benz, eds.). Springer Verlag, NY.
Poste, G.; Allison, A.C. 1973. Biochim. Biophys. Acta300, 421–465.
Poste, G.; Nicholson, G.L. 1978. CELL SURFACE REVIEWS, Vol. 5, Elsevier/North-Holland, Amsterdam.
Power, J.B.; Evans, P.K.; Cocking, E.C. 1978. In MEMBRANE FUSION (G. Poste and G.L. Nicholson, eds.) Elsevier/North-Holland, Amsterdam, pp. 369–385.
Richter, H.-P.; Scheurich, P.; Zimmermann, U. 1981. Development Growth Differentiation23, 479–486.
Scheurich, P.; Zimmermann, U. 1981. Naturwissenschaften68, 45–46.
Scheurich, P.; Zimmermann, U.; Schnabl, H. 1981. Plant Physiol.67, 849–853.
Vienken, J.; Ganser, R.; Hampp, R.; Zimmermann, U. 1981. Physiol. Plant.53, 64–70.
Zimmermann, U.; Scheurich, P. 1981a. Planta151, 26–32.
Zimmermann, U.; Scheurich, P. 1981b. Biochim. Biophys. Acta641, 160–165.
Zimmermann, U.; Vienken, J. 1982. Topical Rev. J. Membrane Biol., in press.
Zimmermann, U.; Groves, M.; Schnabl, H.; Pilwat, G. 1980. J. Membrane Biol.52, 37–50.
Zimmermann, U.; Pilwat, G.; Beckers, F.; Riemann, F. 1976. Bioelectrochem. Bioenerg.3, 58–83.
Zimmermann, U.; Richter, H.-P.; Pilwat, G. 1981. Naturwissenschaften68, 577–578.
Zimmermann, U.; Scheurich, P.; Pilwat, G.; Benz, R. 1981. Angew. Chem.93, 332–351; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl.20, 325–344.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zimmermann, U., Pilwat, G. & Pohl, H.A. Electric field-mediated cell fusion. J Biol Phys 10, 43–50 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01988467
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01988467