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Bilayer lipid membranes from falling droplets

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Abstract

We describe a system that provides a rapid and simple way of forming suspended lipid bilayers within a microfluidic platform from an aqueous droplet. Bilayer lipid membranes are created in a polymeric device by contacting monolayers formed at a two-phase liquid–liquid interface. Microdroplets, containing membrane proteins, are injected onto an electrode positioned above an aperture machined through a conical cavity that is filled with a lipid–alkane solution. The formation of the BLM depends solely on the device geometry and leads to spontaneous formation of lipid bilayers simply by dispensing droplets of buffer. When an aqueous droplet containing transmembrane proteins or proteoliposomes is injected, straightforward electrophysiology measurements are possible. This method is suitable for incorporation into lab-on-a-chip devices and allows for buffer exchange and electrical measurements.

Bilayer lipid membranes are formed in a polymeric device by injecting water droplets, containing membrane proteins, directly onto an electrode positioned above an aperture machined into a conical cavity, which is initially filled with a lipid-alkane solution. The water droplet slides down the electrode to the aperture at the bottom of the conical reservoir. The geometry of this system enables the spontaneous formation of a BLM. Ion channel activity is recorded between an electrode in the bottom channel and the electrode in the droplet. The technique is scalable and could be configured as a high throughput multi-site biosensing or drug screening platform.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the 6th Framework Programme of the European Commission, under the contract NMP4-CT-2005-017114 “RECEPTRONICS”, and the UK Interdisciplinary Research Centre in Bio-Nanotechnology (R45659/01). KcsA was a kind gift of Prof. A. Lee from the School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton.

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Author notes

  1. Michele Zagnoni

    Present address: Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Biomedical and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, G12 8QQ, Glasgow, UK

  2. Mairi E. Sandison

    Present address: Integrative and Systems Biology, Faculty of Biomedical and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, G12 8QQ, Glasgow, UK

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Electronics and Computer Science, University of Southampton, Highfield, So17 1BJ, Southampton, UK

    Michele Zagnoni, Mairi E. Sandison, Phedra Marius & Hywel Morgan

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  1. Michele Zagnoni
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  2. Mairi E. Sandison
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  3. Phedra Marius
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  4. Hywel Morgan
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michele Zagnoni.

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Zagnoni, M., Sandison, M.E., Marius, P. et al. Bilayer lipid membranes from falling droplets. Anal Bioanal Chem 393, 1601–1605 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-008-2588-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-008-2588-5

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