Modelling of Cell Electroporation with Emphasis on Ions Transport-induced Dynamic Alterations in Membrane Conductivity

In the study of electroporation, the conductivity of the cell membrane is a crucial factor in assessing the permeability of cell membrane. In previous researches, the oversimplified equivalent resistance models were utilized to describe changes in cell membrane permeability, resulting in inaccurate results and a significant gap between experimental and simulation outcomes. In this paper, an electroporation model that incorporates a dynamic conductivity equation based on ion transmembrane transport is proposed, enabling more accurate assessments of changes in cell membrane permeability. A two-dimensional (2-D) finite-element model with coupled multi-physical field is developed to validate the proposed model. The changes in the cell conductivity is used to reveal evolutionary trends in membrane permeability. The simulation results align well with literature data and provide a mechanistic explanation for previous experimental results. Meanwhile, the effect of transmembrane transport of ions on cell membrane perforation is discussed, with results indicating that the migration of ions significantly alter the conductive properties around the cell membrane, further impacting the evolution of membrane permeability. The proposed electroporation model provides a significant improvement over previous models, allowing for more accurate predictions of cell membrane permeability. This model is of great value in the study of electroporation-mediated small molecule delivery and in developing new strategies for intracellular drug delivery.