Chronopotentiometric technique as a method for electrical characterization of bilayer lipid membranes

J Membr Biol. 2011 Mar;240(1):47-53. doi: 10.1007/s00232-011-9341-2. Epub 2011 Jan 20.

Abstract

The basic electrical parameters of bilayer lipid membranes are capacitance and resistance. This article describes the application of chronopotentiometry to the research of lipid bilayers. Membranes were made from egg yolk phosphatidylcholine. The chronopotentiometric characteristic of the membranes depends on the current value. For low current values, no electroporation takes place and the voltage rises exponentially to a constant value. Based on these kinds of chronopotentiometric curves, a method of the membrane capacitance and the membrane resistance calculations are presented.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Egg Yolk / chemistry
  • Electric Capacitance
  • Electric Impedance
  • Electricity
  • Electroporation / methods
  • Humans
  • Lipid Bilayers / chemistry
  • Lipid Bilayers / metabolism*
  • Lipids / chemistry
  • Mathematical Computing
  • Membrane Potentials
  • Phosphatidylcholines / metabolism*
  • Potentiometry / methods*
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Lipid Bilayers
  • Lipids
  • Phosphatidylcholines