The Electrofusion Mechanism in Erythrocyte Ghost Membranes.
Abstract
Electrofusion is the method by which two parallel and closespaced biological membranes can be fused into one membrane with an electric field pulse. Results of our experiments indirectly suggest that electropores are either not involved in the fusion mechanism or, if they are, then additional factors and processes are also involved. Results are our experiments directly and clearly suggest not only that electroosmosis takes place in the vicinity of electropores but that membrane mixing and contents mixing indicators actually measure different parts of the fusion process. Also shown is the finding that parts of the fusion process are reversible and have a time scale similar to that found for some naturally-occurring fusion processes. Electrofusion is a clean system for studying electric field-membrane interactions; electrofusion is a practical in vitro method of inducing fusion for biotechnology applications such as genetic engineering and obtaining monoclonal antibody-secreting hybrids; and a fundamentally new way to study the molecular mechanism of membrane fusion. Keywords: Electroporation, Membranes(Biology), Bioelectromagnetics, Mechanisms, Erythrocytes.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 30, 1987
- Accession Number
- ADA187959
Entities
People
- Arthur E. Sowers