title: The mechanoelectrical response of droplet interface bilayer membranes.
abstract: Mechanotransduction and interfacial properties in unsupported liquid biomimetic membranes are explored using the droplet-interface bilayer technique. The fluidic monolayer-membrane system afforded by this technique allows for dynamic control over the membrane dimensions and curvature, which under periodic deformations generates capacitive currents (akin to a Kelvin probe), and permits a detailed electrostatic characterization of the boundary layers as well as observation of flexoelectric effects. Both high and low displacement frequency regimes are examined, and the results show that the mechanoelectric signals generated by the membranes may be linked to the membrane electrostatic structure. In addition, we show that periodic membrane bending in a high-frequency regime generates tension sufficient to activate reconstituted mechanosensitive channels.
authors.affiliation: College of Engineering, University of Georgia, USA. ecfreema@uga.edu.
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Freeman
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech, USA.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Najem
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sukharev
authors.affiliation: Department of Aerospace and Ocean Engineering, Virginia Tech, USA.
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Philen
authors.affiliation: College of Engineering, University of Georgia, USA. ecfreema@uga.edu.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Leo
mesh_terms: D040761:Biomimetic Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D008051:Lipid Bilayers / Q000737:chemistry*; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines / Q000737:chemistry; D055672:Static Electricity
chemical_list: D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; C021016:1,2-diphytanoylphosphatidylcholine