Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 20, 2026

Formation of Biomembrane Microarrays with a Squeegee-based Assembly Method
Published on: May 8, 2014
High-throughput formation of lipid bilayer membrane arrays with an asymmetric lipid composition
Rikiya Watanabe1, Naoki Soga2, Tomoko Yamanaka2
11] Department of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan [2] PRESTO, JST, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan.
Abstract:
We present a micro-device in which more than 10,000 asymmetric lipid bilayer membranes are formed at a time on micro-chamber arrays. The arrayed asymmetric lipid bilayers, where lipid compositions are different between the inner and outer leaflets, are formed with high efficiency of over 97% by injecting several types of liquids into a micro-device that has hydrophilic-in-hydrophobic surfaces. The lipid compositional asymmetry is an intrinsic property of bio-membranes, and therefore, this micro-device extends the versatility of artificial lipid-bilayer systems, which were previously limited to symmetric bilayer formation, and could contribute to the understanding of the role of lipid compositional asymmetry in cell physiology and also to further analytical and pharmacological applications.
Related Concept Videos
Asymmetric Lipid Bilayer
Assembly of the Lipid Bilayer in the ER
A large chunk of any biological membrane is composed of phospholipids. These lipids have a heterogeneous distribution across different subcellular organelles and even between...
Mechanisms of Membrane Domain Formation
Another mechanism for membrane domain formation involves membrane proteins interacting with...
Membrane Fluidity
Mosaic nature of the membrane
The mosaic characteristic of the membrane helps the plasma membrane remain fluid. The integral proteins and lipids exist as separate but loosely-attached molecules in the membrane. The membrane is...

