Schematic 1.

Different scenarios of excitation by nanosecond electric pulses (nsEP). A: nsEP causes a small depolarization of the cell membrane that lasts sufficiently long to open voltage-gated channels (same as conventional electrostimulation). B: The membrane potential (MP) induced by nsEP exceeds the critical value for electroporation. Ionic leaks through the damaged membrane depolarize the resting MP to the threshold of excitation. C: nsEP meets the conditions for both electroporation and excitation, and the loss of the resting MP after electroporation is not sufficient (e.g., too slow) to open channels. This loss can either assist excitation (by depolarizing the membrane towards the excitation threshold) or impede it (by inactivating voltage-gated channels and by facilitating the membrane discharge; see text).