Abstract
In this paper, we will discuss our recent approaches for the formation of mechanically stable artificial bilayer lipid membranes (BLMs) by combining with silicon (Si) micro-fabrication techniques and their application to recording activities of biological channels. BLMs were prepared across microfabricated pores in thin Si3N4 septa of Si chips. The edge of the pores was smoothly tapered in nanometer range, which was useful for stabilizing the BLMs suspended in the pores. The BLMs showed a membrane lifetime of >40 h, tolerance to a high voltage of ±1 V, and tolerance to repetitive solution exchanges. Application to a platform for recording biological channels has been examined by using the human ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG) potassium channel as an illustrative example. Such stable BLMs with integrated biological channels have the potential for use in a variety of applications, including high-throughput drug screening for various ion-channel proteins.
