Lipid Membranes Electroporation Cannot Be Described by the Constant Line Tension Model of the Pore Edge

Abstract

We have studied the process of electroporation of bilayer lipid membranes (BLMs) made of dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC). We obtained experimental data on the average lifetime of the membrane as a function of applied transmembrane voltage in the range of 200–375 mV. The analysis of the obtained data showed that the dependence is nonmonotonic and cannot be described in terms of the classical theory of electroporation. These results are consistent with modern models of the process of formation of through conductive pores in a membrane. The above models imply a complex pore energy profile and its dependence on a membrane tension and an external electric field. Thus, we have shown that the classical theory of electroporation does not satisfy the experimentally observed dependencies of the average membrane lifetime on the applied potential difference and requires further refinement.