Abstract

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Author(s):: WU Ruiqing1; ZHANG Hui1; 2; 1. School of Science, Xi’an Technological University, Xi’an 710021, China; 2. School of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Xianyang Normal University, Xianyang 712000, China

Keywords:: Keywords: electrostatic field; spherical cell; electric field stress; biological effect

Abstract:: Abstract: Objective To study the magnitude and distribution of the electric field stress on the cell membrane after the action of electrostatic field on spherical cells. Methods The potential redistributions inside and outside cell membrane after the action of external electric field were obtained by solving the Laplace equation satisfying the boundary relation. Furthermore, the magnitude and distribution of the electric field stress were analyzed by a Maxwell stress tensor method. Results The electric field stress was proportional to the square of the applied external electric field strength and positively correlated with the cell equivalent dielectric constant. An electrostatic field on the order of 103 V/m resulted in a stress of 10-4 Pa on the cell membrane. The electric field stress parallel to external electric field direction was directed to the outside of the cell membrane as a tensile force, while the electric field stress perpendicular to external electric field direction was directed to the inside of the cell membrane as a pressure. Conclusion The electric field stress on the spherical cell membrane is displayed as the cosine curve distribution, which can explain the cell deformation induced by the electric field.