Mathematical and computer simulation of the electrophysical properties of a multicellular structure exposed to nanosecond electrical pulses

The article presents mathematical and computer models which allow to study the electrophysical properties (permittivity, impedance) of a multicellular structure exposed to nanosecond electrical pulses. The paper proposes a simulation approach that includes complex use of the classical theory of describing the electrodynamic properties of dispersed systems and the effective medium theory. We describe cell geometry using Gielis equations, which allow us to take account of the irregular shapes of cell membranes. We carry out a computational experiment with cell models to study the frequency dependences of permittivity and impedance exposed to nanosecond electrical pulses. The article considers the influence of membrane porosity on cell conductivity and permittivity as well. We carry out computer simulation of the plasma membrane electroporation mechanism. The obtained results will help to understand better the fundamental processes in the cell membrane exposed to electrical pulses and can be used in various practical applications, such as targeted drug delivery, incorporation of DNA and RNA genes into bacterial and mammalian cells, as well as the selective destruction of cancer cells.