Effect of Nanosecond Pulsed Currents on Directions of Cell Elongation and Migration through Time-Lapse Analysis

Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Feb 14;24(4):3826. doi: 10.3390/ijms24043826.

Abstract

It is generally known that cells elongate perpendicularly to an electric field and move in the direction of the field when an electric field is applied. We have shown that irradiation of plasma-simulated nanosecond pulsed currents elongates cells, but the direction of cell elongation and migration has not been elucidated. In this study, a new time-lapse observation device that can apply nanosecond pulsed currents to cells was constructed, and software to analyze cell migration was created to develop a device that can sequentially observe cell behavior. The results showed nanosecond pulsed currents elongate cells but do not affect the direction of elongation and migration. It was also found the behavior of cells changes depending on the conditions of the current application.

Keywords: agarose bridge; cell behavior; cell morphology; chemical species free; discharge-simulated; electric current; electric field; microchannel; migration velocity; plasma medicine.

MeSH terms

  • Cell Movement
  • Electricity*
  • Time-Lapse Imaging