The permeability of water molecules through cellular membranes has been widely investigated, as the transport of small molecules, particularly water, across bilayer membranes has significant implications for cellular physiology and homeostasis. Our laboratory has successfully demonstrated that a droplet interface bilayer (DIB) method provides a convenient means to attain reliable values for water transport phenomena. A DIB membrane is a lipid bilayer formed between pairs of aqueous compartments upon juxtaposition of micrometer-sized droplets, immersed in an oil phase, each of which is stabilized by a lipid monolayer. DIBs offer several advantages over other prominent methods for measuring water permeability in model membranes, including ease of bilayer formation, sufficient longevity, stability, reproducibility, and controllability. In order to expand the applicability of the DIB method to a wide range of lipid bilayers with diverse parameters, we address advanced mathematical treatments for a quantitative analysis to determine permeability data for complicated systems. In order to expand the applicability of the DIB method to a wide range of lipid bilayers with diverse parameters, in this paper, we address advanced mathematical treatments for a quantitative analysis to determine permeabilty data for complicated systems. These modified mathematical treatments will increase the versatility of the water permeability measurement based on the DIB method and allow us to apply it to diverse ranges of lipid bilayer systems with varying parameters. Newly developed methods will also be accompanied by the experimental data to confirm the validity of the mathematical data treatment.

Measurement of water permeability: Droplet interface bilayer as a model for cell membrane

256th National Meeting (2018)

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