title: Electric field-induced fusion of mitochondria.
abstract: Fusion of mitochondria in H-medium from rat liver was induced by the application of square-wave voltage with electric field strengths of 1-2.5 kV/cm and duration 100 microseconds. Electron micrographs showed that the newly fused mitochondria could contain up to five mitoplasts. The fusion yield was close to 12% and respiratory activity was enhanced. The electric field lines did not go through the inner membrane, however, when the electric field strength was greater than 3 kV/cm they did so, resulting in total destruction of the mitochondria.
authors.affiliation: Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS, Orléans, France.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Reynaud
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Labbe
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lequoc
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lequoc
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nicolau
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004560:Electricity; D004566:Electrodes; D007425:Intracellular Membranes / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008561:Membrane Fusion; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008930:Mitochondria, Liver / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains