What process occurs during electroporation?

What process occurs during electroporation?

• A. Electricity passes through an embryo so that the pipette containing DNA can enter the cell.
• B. Electricity passes through a DNA + virus solution causing the DNA to become incorporated into the virus.
• C. Electricity passes through a DNA + stem cell solution causing the DNA to enter the cells.
• D. Electricity passes through a stem cell solution after DNA has entered the cell to seal the cell.

Answer: (C)

Electroporation works by applying a short electrical field to a cell suspension, which temporarily permeabilizes the cell membrane. During that brief window, DNA in the surrounding solution can cross into the cell. When the pulse ends, the membrane reseals, trapping the DNA inside so the cell can potentially express it. This method is commonly used with stem cells and other cell types to introduce plasmid DNA for gene expression. The described idea of using electricity to push DNA into an embryo via a pipette, or to rely on a virus, isn’t how electroporation operates, and the notion of a separate sealing step after DNA entry isn’t the mechanism involved.

Electroporation works by applying a short electrical field to a cell suspension, which temporarily permeabilizes the cell membrane. During that brief window, DNA in the surrounding solution can cross into the cell. When the pulse ends, the membrane reseals, trapping the DNA inside so the cell can potentially express it. This method is commonly used with stem cells and other cell types to introduce plasmid DNA for gene expression. The described idea of using electricity to push DNA into an embryo via a pipette, or to rely on a virus, isn’t how electroporation operates, and the notion of a separate sealing step after DNA entry isn’t the mechanism involved.