Spontaneous lipid bilayer transmembrane electrical oscillations induced by concanavalin A-polysaccharide interaction

Potassium ion currents through bilayer lipid membranes were modified by the membrane-surface reaction of concanavalin A and the polysaccharides dextran and glycogen. Aggregative reaction with glycogen occasionally induced spontaneous periodic ion current fluctuations with cycle times of minutes and durations of over one hour. Different electrochemical characteristics were observed between large planar lipid membranes and filter paper supported membranes, providing an indication that the aqueous unstirred surface layer participates in the control of the surface aggregative event. Lipid chemical composition was implicated in the development of spontaneous oscillations.