Short-Time Alternating Current Electrical Stimulation and Cell Membrane-Related Components

Featured Application Physical factors such as light, mechanical forces, physical plasma, but especially the electric field derived from a direct or alternating current, are potent stimuli for cells finally being able to regenerate human tissues. The demand for effective regenerative therapies is increasing due to aging populations. Electrical stimulation is operated, i.e., in bones (medical implants), the brain (movement disorders), muscles (rehabilitation), and connective tissue (skin wounds). Although this has been successfully carried out, the mechanism of action still needs to be fully understood.Abstract Electrical stimulation (ES) and its effects on biological systems is an area of research in regenerative medicine. The focus here is on the mechanism of action of ES on cell membrane-related components. A short alternating current (AC) stimulation (10 min) was applied on suspended human MG-63 osteoblasts via a commercially available multi-channel system (IonOptix). The pulsed ES with 1 V or 5 V and frequencies of 20 Hz on cells was performed immediately after cell seeding. The in vitro investigations were conducted by microscopy, flow cytometry, and particle analysis via a Litesizer within 24 h. The short-time ES with the parameter 1 V and 20 Hz was beneficial for the process of cell attachment, which could be related to an enhanced deposition of fibronectin on the glass bottom from the protein-containing medium (10% FBS). The MG-63 cells' spherical coat hyaluronan remained constant and did not contribute to this AC-triggered adhesion. In this context, the cells' zeta potential also did not play a role. The membrane potential analyzed via DiBAC4(3) was unchanged. Only the aquaporin channel AQP 8 in the cell membrane was significantly enhanced. Suspended cells in an AC electric field were activated during their settlement, and the fibronectin adsorption on the bottom contributed to this effect but not the membrane-related components.