Delivery of macromolecules into cells

A method for delivery of molecules into biological cells, comprising the steps of:

• coating electrodes in an electrode assembly with the molecules to be delivered,
• attaching the electrode assembly having coated electrodes to an electrode assembly holder,
• providing a waveform generator,
• establishing electrically conductive pathways between the electrodes and the waveform generator,
• locating the electrodes such that the biological cells are situated therebetween, and
• providing pulse waveforms from the waveform generator to the electrodes, such that the molecules on the electrodes are driven off of the electrodes and delivered into the biological cells,
• wherein the pulse waveforms are provided by applying a sequence of at least three single, operator-controlled, independently programmed, DC electrical pulses, to the biological cells, wherein the sequence of at least three DC electrical pulses has one, two, or three of the following characteristics:
• (a) at least two of the at least three pulses differ from each other in pulse amplitude;
• (b) at least two of the at least three pulses differ from each other in pulse width;
• and (c) a first pulse interval for a first set of two of the at least three pulses is different from a second pulse interval for a second set of two of the at least three pulses.

A method for delivery of molecules into biological cells, comprising the steps of:

• coating electrodes in an electrode assembly with the molecules to be delivered,
• attaching the electrode assembly having coated electrodes to an electrode assembly holder,
• providing a waveform generator,
• establishing electrically conductive pathways between the electrodes and the waveform generator,
• locating the electrodes such that the biological cells are situated therebetween, and
• providing pulse waveforms from the waveform generator to the electrodes, such that the molecules on the electrodes are driven off of the electrodes and delivered into the biological cells,
• wherein coating of the electrodes in the electrode assembly with the molecules to be delivered to the biological cells is carried out by the following steps:
• preparing a liquid medium in which a quantity of the molecules are carried,
• contacting the electrodes with the prepared medium, and
• removing the electrodes from the medium and drying off the medium, such that a coating of the molecules remains on the electrodes.

A method for delivery of molecules into biological cells, comprising the steps of:

• coating electrodes in an electrode assembly with the molecules to be delivered,
• attaching the electrode assembly having coated electrodes to an electrode assembly holder,
• providing a waveform generator,
• establishing electrically conductive pathways between the electrodes and the waveform generator,
• locating the electrodes such that the biological cells are situated therebetween, and
• providing pulse waveforms from the waveform generator to the electrodes, such that the molecules on the electrodes are driven off of the electrodes and delivered into the biological cells,
• wherein coating of the electrodes in the electrode assembly with the molecules to be delivered to the biological cells is carried out by the following steps:
• preparing a liquid medium in which a quantity of the molecules are carried,
• contacting the electrodes with the prepared medium,
• applying pulse waveforms to the electrodes, such that a portion of the molecules are bound to the electrodes, and
• removing the electrodes from the medium and drying off the medium, such that a coating of the molecules remains on the electrodes.

A method for delivery of polynucleotide vaccine into Langerhans cells in the epidermis of a patient, comprising the steps of:

• coating electrodes in an electrode assembly with polynucleotide vaccine, prior to locating the electrodes such that the Langerhans cells are situated therebetween,
• attaching the electrode assembly having coated electrodes to an electrode assembly holder,
• providing a waveform generator,
• establishing electrically conductive pathways between the electrodes and the waveform generator,
• locating the electrodes such that the Langerhans cells are situated therebetween, and
• providing pulse waveforms from the waveform generator to the electrodes, such that polynucleotide vaccine on the electrodes are driven off of the electrodes and delivered into the Langerhans cells.

A method for delivery of molecules into biological cells, comprising the steps of:

• pre-coating electrodes in an electrode assembly with the molecules to be delivered,
• attaching the electrode assembly having coated electrodes to an electrode assembly holder,
• providing a waveform generator,
• establishing electrically conductive pathways between the electrodes and the waveform generator,
• locating the electrodes such that the biological cells are situated therebetween, and
• providing pulse waveforms from the waveform generator to the electrodes, such that the molecules on the electrodes are driven off of the electrodes and delivered into the biological cells.