An eporator that is used for electroporation cannot be used for electrofusion because in electrofusion two waveforms are used. An oscillating AC waveform for cell alignment in which an electric field induces a dipole within the cell. As cells move towards a common point, the dipole attracts and pearl-chain formation results. The other waveform namely DC square wave pulse is used for fusion in which the pulse applied fuses the cells together and a brief and intense electric field causes the formation of temporary pores in the cell membrane.
On the other hand, most eporators use only DC electrical pulses which are short intense electric pulses that create temporary physical channels in the phospholipid bilayer allowing molecules to enter. Under right conditions, the channels close rapidly returning the cells to its original state with the foreign molecule within the cell.