STUDIES ON ELECTROPORATION OF THERMALLY AND CHEMICALLY TREATED HUMAN ERYTHROCYTES

Erythrocytes can be transiently permeabilized in isotonic solution by the action of high intensity short electrical pulses. The consequent h emolysis of cells was found to depend on the temperature conditions du ring and after the pulse treatment. Application of electrical pulses t o erythrocyte suspension at increasing temperatures (4-43 degrees C) p rogressively decreased the proportion of hemolysed cells. Post pulse i ncubation of electroporated erythrocytes at temperatures between 4 and 43 degrees C yielded increasing percentage of resealed cells. The rat e of resealing of electropulsed cells increased significantly with the increase in pulse temperature as well as after pulse incubations. In addition, oxidative modification of membrane proteins by reaction of t heir sulfhydryls with N-ethylmaleimide and p-chlormercuribenzoate alte red remarkably the electrical response of erythrocytes indicating invo lvement of chemically modified protein moieties in the membrane electr oporation. Results of this investigation have demonstrated that the ph ysical organization of membrane and alterations in membrane components determine the magnitude of cellular response to external electrical p ulses.