Electroporation device
First Claim
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1. An electroporation apparatus for electroporating living cells with molecules comprising:
- (a) first and second electrodes, respectively having, first and second mutually opposed electrode surfaces, said first and second mutually opposed electrode surfaces being positioned to create an electric field there-between when connected to a source of electrical potential, said first electrode being only partially conductive and exhibiting a voltage drop across its said first electrode surface upon the passage of current therethrough;
(b) an electrolyte positioned between said first and second said electrolyte containing molecules to be deposited within living cells by electroporation and being in contact with said first and second electrode surfaces;
(c) living cells attached to said first electrode surface and being in contact with said electrolyte, and(d) containment means positioned to contain the electrolyte and living cells between said first and second electrodes,wherein by reason of the spacing between opposed portions of said first and second mutually opposed electrode surfaces, said second electrode, in combination with said first electrode, provides a local electrical field over said first electrode surface which is of substantially equal strength over said first electrode surface.
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Abstract
An electroporation apparatus provides for the electroporation of cells attached to an electrode. The electrode may be transparent to allow cell viewing. If the electrode exhibits a voltage drop a constant electrical field may be obtained over the cell layer by controlling the position or character of the opposed electrode. Alternately, cells may be electroporated under an electrical field which varies in a continuous, geometrically uniform manner over the cell layer.
65 Citations
24 Claims
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1. An electroporation apparatus for electroporating living cells with molecules comprising:
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(a) first and second electrodes, respectively having, first and second mutually opposed electrode surfaces, said first and second mutually opposed electrode surfaces being positioned to create an electric field there-between when connected to a source of electrical potential, said first electrode being only partially conductive and exhibiting a voltage drop across its said first electrode surface upon the passage of current therethrough; (b) an electrolyte positioned between said first and second said electrolyte containing molecules to be deposited within living cells by electroporation and being in contact with said first and second electrode surfaces; (c) living cells attached to said first electrode surface and being in contact with said electrolyte, and (d) containment means positioned to contain the electrolyte and living cells between said first and second electrodes, wherein by reason of the spacing between opposed portions of said first and second mutually opposed electrode surfaces, said second electrode, in combination with said first electrode, provides a local electrical field over said first electrode surface which is of substantially equal strength over said first electrode surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An electroporation apparatus for electroporating living cells with molecules comprising:
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(a) first and second electrodes, mutually having, first and second mutually opposed electrode surfaces, said first and second mutually opposed electrode surfaces being positioned to create an electric field there-between when connected to a source of electrical potential, said first electrode being only partially conductive and exhibiting a voltage drop across its said first electrode surface upon the passage of current therethrough; (b) an electrolyte positioned between said first and second electrodes, said electrolyte containing molecules to be deposited within living cells by electroporation and being in contact with said first and second mutually opposed electrode surfaces; (c) cells attached to said first electrode surface and being in contact with said electrolyte, and (d) containment means positioned to contain the electrolyte and living cells between the said first and second electrodes, wherein said second electrode surface is angled with respect to said first electrode surface whereby said second electrode, in combination with said first electrode, provides a local electrical field over said first electrode surface which is of a strength which varies in a continuous, increasing, regular manner when proceeding in a given direction along said first electrode surface. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An electroporation apparatus for electroporating living cells with molecules comprising:
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(a) first and second electrodes, respectively having, first and second mutually opposed electrode surfaces, said first and second mutually opposed electrode surfaces being positioned to create an electric field there-between when connected to a source of electrical potential, said first electrode being only partially conductive and exhibiting a voltage drop across its said first electrode surface upon the passage of current therethrough; (b) an electrolyte positioned between said first and second electrodes, said electrolyte containing molecules to be deposited within living cells by electroporation and being in contact with said first and second mutually opposed electrode surfaces; (c) living cells attached to said first electrode surface and being in contact with said electrolyte; (d) containment means positioned to contain the electrolyte and living cells between said first and second electrodes; and (e) voltage control means for establishing differing voltage potentials at specific locations over said second electrode surface, said voltage control means thereby determining the local strength of said electric field over said first electrode surface according to the pattern of the voltage potential developed at such locations. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An electroporation apparatus for electroporation apparatus living cells with molecules comprising:
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(a) first and second electrodes, having respectively having, first and second mutually opposed electrode surfaces, said first and second mutually opposed electrode surfaces being positioned to create an electric field there-between when connected to a source of electrical potential, said first electrode being only partially conductive and exhibiting a voltage drop across its first electrode surface upon the passage of current therethrough; (b) an electrolyte positioned between said first and second electrodes, said electrolyte containing molecules to be deposited within living cells by electroporation and being in contact with said first and second mutually opposed electrode surfaces; (c) living cells attached to said first electrode surface and being in contact with said electrolyte, and (d) containment means positioned to contain the electrolyte and living cells between said first and second electrodes, wherein said first electrode is provided with a plurality of conductive strips that are distributed over a substantial portion of said first electrode surface whereby said plurality of conductive strips are able to provide current to said first electrode surface with a reduced degree of voltage drop across said first electrode surface over that which would occur in the absence of such plurality of conductive strips. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification