Patent ID: 8426205

Claim:
An in vitro method for selective electrofusion of a mammalian cell and a fusion partner each having a cell-like membrane, comprising: A) selecting the mammalian cell and the fusion partner; B) bringing into contact the mammalian cell and the fusion partner; C) providing an electric field using at least one microelectrode, which electric field is of a strength sufficient to obtain fusion of the mammalian cell and the fusion partner, and wherein the electric field is between 0.1-10 kV/cm where the mammalian cell and the fusion partner contact, and said at least one microelectrode is positioned 0-100 μm from the mammalian cell and the fusion partner, wherein said at least one microelectrode is positioned by use of a microscope, at least one micropositioner and/or a stereotactic device, and wherein said at least one microelectrode is sufficiently small to permit the selective fusion of only the mammalian cell and the fusion partner.