Electroporation of endothelial cells by high frequency electric fields: implications for DBS

This study was conducted to determine if DBS induced electric fields will result in local electroporation of blood vessels. We designed an in-vitro stimulation system using uniform fields and bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECS) confluent monolayers. The cells were quantified for reversible electroporation (uptake) and irreversible electroporation (cell death) by calcein and propidium iodide, respectively, as marker molecules. Confocal microscopy in combination with fluorescence microscopy was used to visualize the uptake of these molecules. We observed that exposure of monolayers to electric fields analogous to those generated during clinical deep brain stimulation (DBS) may result in electroporation and eventual cell death in cases of prolonged stimulation .