title: Membrane biosensor platforms using nano- and microporous supports.
abstract: Lipid membranes are versatile and convenient models for the study of properties of natural cell membranes. In particular, surface-supported membranes have attracted considerable attention because the whole range of surface-sensitive techniques, including interface-sensitive electrochemical measurements, can be used with them. Here we describe recent advances and current directions in the development of nano- and microporous substrates for electrochemical characterization of membrane protein-containing lipid bilayers. Improved techniques for lipid membrane self-assembly and membrane protein incorporation on these substrates have led to great improvements in measurement sensitivity, membrane stability and packaging. These advances suggest that nanopore-spanning membranes are leading contenders for a breakthrough in membrane protein screening and biosensing applications.
authors.affiliation: Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich, ETHZ), Laboratory for Surface Science and Technology, BioInterfaceGroup, Wolgang-Pauli-Strasse 10, CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland. erik.reimhult@mat.ethz.ch
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Reimhult
authors.forename: Karthik
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kumar
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D040761:Biomimetic Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D008051:Lipid Bilayers / Q000737:chemistry*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D016062:Porosity
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008567:Membranes, Artificial