Electrically stimulated rupture of cell membranes with a conducting polymer-coated electrode

Electrochemical rupture of cell membranes was performed with a conducting polypyrrole-coated electrode. Erythrocytes, which were employed as a cell model, were ruptured on a polypyrrole-coated electrode in a saline solution by a small potential shift from -0.6 V vs. Ag/AgCl to higher than 0.4 V vs. Ag/AgCl. Erythrocyte lysis on a bare substrate electrode needed a larger potential shift from -0.6 V to higher than 1.4 V. The rupture of erythrocytes on the polypyrrole-coated electrode by a small potential shift was attributed to a dynamic pH change near the polypyrrole-coated electrode surface. Electrically stimulated rupture of a single target erythrocyte was demonstrated with a polypyrrole-coated microfiber electrode, which might be applicable to single cell manipulations.