Lipid bilayers at the gel interface for single ion channel recordings.
Single-channel recording using artificial lipid bilayers is along with the patch-clamp technique a very powerful tool to physiologically and pharmacologically study ion channels. It is particularly advantageous in studying channels that are technically difficult to access with a patch pipet. However, the fragility of the bilayers and the difficulty to incorporate ion channels into them significantly compromises measurement efficiency. We have developed a novel method for forming artificial lipid bilayers on a hydrogel surface that significantly improves the measurement efficiency. Bilayers formed almost instantly (<1 s) and were able to incorporate various types of ion channel proteins within a short time (<30 s) enabling multichannel measurements. These results indicate that this method can potentially be applied to developing high-throughput screening devices for drug design.
Ide
Toru
T
Network Center for Molecular and System Life Sciences, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, 1-3 Yamadaoka Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan. ide@phys1.med.osaka-u.ac.jp
Kobayashi
Toshihide
T
Hirano
Minako
M
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D004594:Electrophysiology / Q000379:methods*; D005782:Gels / Q000737:chemistry*; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D017136:Ion Transport; D008051:Lipid Bilayers / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
D005782:Gels; D007473:Ion Channels; D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D014867:Water