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Electric field‐induced fusion of mitochondria
Author(s) -
Reynaud J.A.,
Labbe H.,
Lequoc K.,
Lequoc D.,
Nicolau C.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/0014-5793(89)81250-5
Subject(s) - electric field , mitochondrion , electron micrographs , biophysics , fusion , membrane potential , chemistry , voltage , membrane , yield (engineering) , inner mitochondrial membrane , materials science , biology , biochemistry , electron microscope , physics , optics , composite material , linguistics , philosophy , quantum mechanics
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 μs. 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.