title: Modulation of cell function by electric field: a high-resolution analysis.
abstract: Regulation of cell function by a non-thermal, physiological-level electromagnetic field has potential for vascular tissue healing therapies and advancing hybrid bioelectronic technology. We have recently demonstrated that a physiological electric field (EF) applied wirelessly can regulate intracellular signalling and cell function in a frequency-dependent manner. However, the mechanism for such regulation is not well understood. Here, we present a systematic numerical study of a cell-field interaction following cell exposure to the external EF. We use a realistic experimental environment that also recapitulates the absence of a direct electric contact between the field-sourcing electrodes and the cells or the culture medium. We identify characteristic regimes and present their classification with respect to frequency, location, and the electrical properties of the model components. The results show a striking difference in the frequency dependence of EF penetration and cell response between cells suspended in an electrolyte and cells attached to a substrate. The EF structure in the cell is strongly inhomogeneous and is sensitive to the physical properties of the cell and its environment. These findings provide insight into the mechanisms for frequency-dependent cell responses to EF that regulate cell function, which may have important implications for EF-based therapies and biotechnology development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Cincinnati, 345 Clifton Court, RM 400 Geo/Physics Building, Cincinnati, OH 45221-0011, USA.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Taghian
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical, Chemical, and Environmental Engineering, University of Cincinnati, 2901 Woodside Dr., ML 0012, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Narmoneva
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Cincinnati, 345 Clifton Court, RM 400 Geo/Physics Building, Cincinnati, OH 45221-0011, USA koganab@UCMAIL.UC.EDU.
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Kogan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism*; D004560:Electricity; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological
chemical_list: D004573:Electrolytes
keywords: cell transmembrane potential; cell-substrate interaction; electrical cell stimulation; frequency-dependent response; surface charge