Probing Simultaneously Membrane Dynamics and Protein Activity in Suspended Bilayers in a Microfluidic Format

Abstract

Membrane dynamics affect the structure and function of ion channels, a point that deserves more attention while studying membrane proteins. One important factor in the local lipidic environment of the ion channels, is the membrane fluidity which is directly connected to the free diffusion and packing of the phospholipids. Typically, FRAP is utilized to investigate this parameter in simplified cell membrane models, and preferably supported bilayer lipid membranes (BLMs), which are more stable than their free-standing counterparts. However, supported membranes are less suitable for the incorporation of ion channels and electrophysiological monitoring of their activity than suspended ones.