Analysis of membrane transportation of cell penetrating peptides using lipid bilayer system

Abstract

Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) are short-chain peptides that can deliver biomolecules into living cells. There are two different membrane permeation pathways: endocytosis and direct penetration accompanied by pore formation, carpet, and inverted micelle formation model. The advantage of direct penetration is to avoid lysosomal degradation and cytotoxicity. However, little is known about the relationship between direct penetration and the physicochemical properties of CPPs. Here we investigate that the mechanism of membrane permeation according to the characteristics of CPPs by electrophysiological methods using a planar lipid bilayer.