There has been a growing interest in understanding the nano-bio interface interactions related to the toxicity of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs). In this presentation, we present two methods to assess the integrity of lipid bilayers, used as model biomembranes, upon exposure to ENPs.  In the first method, we quantify the leakage of a fluorescent dye (by fluorometry) pre-loaded to hollow spherical lipid bilayers (i.e., liposomes, size = 100 nm) that are impermeable to the selected dye when intact.  The second method is electrophysiology that relies on detecting electrical currents passing through lipid bilayers formed on an aperture (~150 �m in diameter) that divides two electrolyte reservoirs.  Electrodes are placed into the reservoirs to monitor the current burst across the lipid bilayer which is resistant to conductance when integral.  Using the methods, we examine ENPs' physicochemical characteristics (e.g., surface functionalities, charge, shape, core compositions) on the lipid bilayer disruption.

Assessing nano-bio interactions at the interface of engineered nanoparticle and model cell membrane

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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