The present review focuses on the effects of pulsed electric fields on lipid vesicles ranging from giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) to small unilamellar vesicles (SUVs), from both fundamental and applicative perspectives. Lipid vesicles are the most popular model membrane systems for studying biophysical and biological processes in living cells. Furthermore, as vesicles are made from biocompatible and biodegradable materials, they provide a strategy to create safe and functionalized drug delivery systems in health-care applications. Exposure of lipid vesicles to pulsed electric fields is a common physical method to transiently increase the permeability of the lipid membrane. This method, termed electroporation, has shown many advantages for delivering exogenous molecules including drugs and genetic material into vesicles and living cells. In addition, electroporation can be applied to induce fusion between vesicles and/or cells. First, we discuss in detail how research on cell-size GUVs as model cell systems has provided novel insight into the basic mechanisms of cell electroporation and associated phenomena. Afterwards, we continue with a thorough overview how electroporation and electrofusion have been used as versatile methods to manipulate vesicles of all sizes in different biomedical applications. We conclude by summarizing the open questions in the field of electroporation and possible future directions for vesicles in the biomedical field.

本文从基本和应用的角度，着眼于脉冲电场对脂质囊泡的影响，脂质囊泡的范围从巨大的单层囊泡（GUVs）到小的单层囊泡（SUVs）。脂质囊泡是研究活细胞中生物物理和生物过程的最流行的模型膜系统。此外，由于囊泡是由生物相容性和可生物降解的材料制成的，因此它们提供了一种在医疗保健应用中创建安全且功能化的药物输送系统的策略。脂质囊泡暴露于脉冲电场是一种瞬时增加脂质膜通透性的常见物理方法。这种称为电穿孔的方法已显示出将包括药物和遗传物质在内的外源分子输送到囊泡和活细胞中的许多优势。另外，可以应用电穿孔来诱导囊泡和/或细胞之间的融合。首先，我们详细讨论作为模型细胞系统的细胞大小GUV的研究如何提供对细胞电穿孔和相关现象的基本机制的新颖见解。之后，我们将继续深入概述如何在不同的生物医学应用中将电穿孔和电融合作为通用方法来操纵各种大小的囊泡。我们通过总结电穿孔领域的开放性问题以及生物医学领域的囊泡未来可能的发展方向来进行总结。我们将详细讨论作为模型细胞系统的细胞大小GUV的研究如何为细胞电穿孔和相关现象的基本机制提供新颖的见解。之后，我们将继续深入概述如何在不同的生物医学应用中将电穿孔和电融合作为通用方法来操纵各种大小的囊泡。我们通过总结电穿孔领域的开放性问题以及生物医学领域的囊泡未来可能的发展方向来进行总结。我们将详细讨论作为模型细胞系统的细胞大小GUV的研究如何提供对细胞电穿孔和相关现象的基本机制的新颖见解。之后，我们将继续深入概述如何在不同的生物医学应用中将电穿孔和电融合作为通用方法来操纵各种大小的囊泡。我们通过总结电穿孔领域的开放性问题以及生物医学领域的囊泡未来可能的发展方向来进行总结。