Simulation and Calculation of Electric Field Power on Plasma Membrane Exposed to Steep Pulsed Electric Field

The basic characteristic of the electric field is that it has a powerful function on the materials put in it. Under this power, both within and outside the cell membrane and its surface have a strong electric field distribution, at the same time, due to the difference among the dielectric constant of the cell membrane and the extracellular fluid and the cytoplasm, there must be a force acts on the cell surface depending on the electromagnetic field theory. In order to a further exposition of the irreversible breakdown mechanism on the steep pulsed electric field to the malignant cells, this article using the MATLAB takes the malignant tumor cells and the normal cells as the objects of study respectively, on the theory calculates and simulates the forces suffered by the cells separately under the steep pulsed electric field, and gives the results of a comparative analysis. This study finds that there is a cross traction along the membrane plane in addition to the compression strength perpendicular to the surface of it. The lateral force will reduce the tension of the film significantly, leading to electroporation and rupture on the cell membrane. The tensity changing quantity that the same electric field (6.7times10⁷ V/m) produces in normal cells is 2 m Nm-1, while in tumour cells it is 10 m Nm-1. It can be seen that the strength towards the malignant tumor cells is 1 magnitude bigger than that towards the normal cells.