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Electrical Properties of Model Lipid Membranes

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A special issue of Membranes (ISSN 2077-0375). This special issue belongs to the section "Biological Membrane Composition and Structures".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 February 2022) | Viewed by 24910

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Dr. Monika Naumowicz

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Laboratory of Bioelectrochemistry, Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Bialystok, 15-245 Bialystok, Poland
Interests: lipid membranes; liposomes; emerging pollutant; toxicology
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Dear Colleagues,

Biological membranes are crucial elements of the living systems, and processes occurring with their participation are related mainly to electric phenomena such as transfer of signals, existence of membrane potentials, and transport through the membrane. It has been evident that the lipid bilayer which forms the environment for integral and surface membrane proteins is commonly known as the universal model of the cell-membrane structure. Thus, a great deal of attention has shifted towards the investigation of the organization and properties of these structures concerning both experimental and theoretical aspects. Because systematic examinations are impeded by the complexity of the natural membranes, the best approach to perform detailed physical and chemical studies of biological membranes is to use simplified well-defined model lipid membranes. These models can be exploited to acquire information on the properties of actual biological membranes and associated electrochemical reactions. The most frequently used ones are liposomes, black lipid membranes, membranes on solid substrates, and lipid monolayers on the free surface.

Investigation of the electrochemical properties of model lipid membranes has been carried out over a number of years. However, there is a broad spectrum of issues that have not been subjected to experimental verification and for which the existing results are incomplete or inconsistent. Therefore, the main focus of this forthcoming Special Issue is to present a comprehensive overview of the field by assembling state-of-the-art research articles and reviews on electrical properties of model lipid membranes.

Dr. Monika Naumowicz
Guest Editor

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Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Membranes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Model lipid membranes
Black lipid bilayers
Liposomes
Biomedical sciences
Bioinspired materials
Physicochemical phenomena at the membrane surface
Electrical properties of model membranes
Electroanalytical methods

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

3 pages, 189 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Electrical Properties of Model Lipid Membranes

by Monika Naumowicz

Membranes 2022, 12(2), 248; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes12020248 - 21 Feb 2022

Viewed by 1500

Abstract

Biological membranes are essential components of the living systems, and processes occurring with their participation are related mainly to electric phenomena such as signal transduction, existence of membrane potentials, and transport through the membrane [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Electrical Properties of Model Lipid Membranes)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review

16 pages, 1669 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of Submicron Polystyrene on the Electrokinetic Potential of Cell Membranes of Red Blood Cells and Platelets

by Marcin Zając, Joanna Kotyńska, Mateusz Worobiczuk, Joanna Breczko and Monika Naumowicz

Membranes 2022, 12(4), 366; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes12040366 - 26 Mar 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2044

Abstract

In recent years, many scientists have studied the effects of polymer micro- and nanostructures on living organisms. As it turns out, plastic can be a component of the blood of livestock, eaten by humans around the globe. Thus, it seems important to investigate possible changes in the physicochemical parameters and morphology of the cell membranes of blood morphotic elements (red blood cells and platelets) under the influence of polymer particles. The article presents research in which cell membranes were exposed to plain polystyrene (PS) and amino-functionalized polystyrene (PS-NH₂) of two different sizes. The polymers were characterized by infrared spectroscopy and dynamic light-scattering methods. To analyze possible changes caused by polymer exposure in the structure of the membranes, their zeta potentials were measured using the electrophoretic light-scattering technique. The concentration of the polymers, as well as the exposure time, were also taken into the consideration during the research. Based on the obtained results, we concluded that 100 and 200 nm PS, as well as 100 nm PS-NH₂, internalize into the cells. On the contrary, 200 nm PS-NH₂ particles attach to cell membranes. Our study clearly shows that particle size and surface chemistry determine the interaction with biological membranes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Electrical Properties of Model Lipid Membranes)

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22 pages, 3969 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Dielectric Properties of Phosphatidylcholine Membranes and the Effect of Sugars

by Victoria Vitkova, Vesela Yordanova, Galya Staneva, Ognyan Petkov, Angelina Stoyanova-Ivanova, Krassimira Antonova and Georgi Popkirov

Membranes 2021, 11(11), 847; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes11110847 - 30 Oct 2021

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2428

Abstract

Simple carbohydrates are associated with the enhanced risk of cardiovascular disease and adverse changes in lipoproteins in the organism. Conversely, sugars are known to exert a stabilizing effect on biological membranes, and this effect is widely exploited in medicine and industry for cryopreservation of tissues and materials. In view of elucidating molecular mechanisms involved in the interaction of mono- and disaccharides with biomimetic lipid systems, we study the alteration of dielectric properties, the degree of hydration, and the rotational order parameter and dipole potential of lipid bilayers in the presence of sugars. Frequency-dependent deformation of cell-size unilamellar lipid vesicles in alternating electric fields and fast Fourier transform electrochemical impedance spectroscopy are applied to measure the specific capacitance of phosphatidylcholine lipid bilayers in sucrose, glucose and fructose aqueous solutions. Alteration of membrane specific capacitance is reported in sucrose solutions, while preservation of membrane dielectric properties is established in the presence of glucose and fructose. We address the effect of sugars on the hydration and the rotational order parameter for 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3- phosphocholine (POPC) and 1-stearoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3- phosphocholine (SOPC). An increased degree of lipid packing is reported in sucrose solutions. The obtained results provide evidence that some small carbohydrates are able to change membrane dielectric properties, structure, and order related to membrane homeostasis. The reported data are also relevant to future developments based on the response of lipid bilayers to external physical stimuli such as electric fields and temperature changes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Electrical Properties of Model Lipid Membranes)

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16 pages, 640 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Water Pores in Planar Lipid Bilayers at Fast and Slow Rise of Transmembrane Voltage

by Alenka Maček Lebar, Damijan Miklavčič, Malgorzata Kotulska and Peter Kramar

Membranes 2021, 11(4), 263; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes11040263 - 05 Apr 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2489

Abstract

Basic understanding of the barrier properties of biological membranes can be obtained by studying model systems, such as planar lipid bilayers. Here, we study water pores in planar lipid bilayers in the presence of transmembrane voltage. Planar lipid bilayers were exposed to fast and slow linearly increasing voltage and current signals. We measured the capacitance, breakdown voltage, and rupture time of planar lipid bilayers composed of 1-pamitoyl 2-oleoyl phosphatidylcholine (POPC), 1-pamitoyl 2-oleoyl phosphatidylserine (POPS), and a mixture of both lipids in a 1:1 ratio. Based on the measurements, we evaluated the change in the capacitance of the planar lipid bilayer corresponding to water pores, the radius of water pores at membrane rupture, and the fraction of the area of the planar lipid bilayer occupied by water pores.planar lipid bilayer capacitance, which corresponds to water pores, water pore radius at the membrane rupture, and a fraction of the planar lipid bilayer area occupied by water pores. The estimated pore radii determining the rupture of the planar lipid bilayer upon fast build-up of transmembrane voltage are 0.101 nm, 0.110 nm, and 0.106 nm for membranes composed of POPC, POPS, and POPC:POPS, respectively. The fraction of the surface occupied by water pores at the moment of rupture of the planar lipid bilayer The fraction of an area that is occupied by water pores at the moment of planar lipid bilayer rupture is in the range of 0.1–1.8%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Electrical Properties of Model Lipid Membranes)

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11 pages, 569 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental and Theoretical Approaches to Describing Interactions in Natural Cell Membranes Occurring as a Result of Fatal Alcohol Poisoning

by Aneta D. Petelska, Michał Szeremeta, Joanna Kotyńska and Anna Niemcunowicz-Janica

Membranes 2021, 11(3), 189; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes11030189 - 09 Mar 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1834

Abstract

We propose herein a theoretical model describing the effect of fatal ethanol poisoning on the equilibria between cell membranes and the surrounding ions. Using this model, we determined the parameters characterizing the interaction between the electrolyte solution’s ions and the functional groups on the blood cells’ surface. Via the application of mathematical equations, we calculated the total surface concentrations of the acidic and basic groups, c_A and c_B, and their association constants with solution ions, K_AH and K_BOH. Using the determined parameters and mathematical equations’ values, we calculated the theoretical surface charge density values. We verified the proposed model by comparing these values with experimental data, which were selected based on measurements of the electrophoretic mobility of erythrocyte and thrombocyte membranes. Compatibility of the experimental and theoretical surface charge density values was observed in the range of pH 2–8, while deviations were observed at higher pH values. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Electrical Properties of Model Lipid Membranes)

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17 pages, 1681 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Study of Resveratrol’s Interaction with Planar Lipid Models: Insights into Its Location in Lipid Bilayers

by Daniela Meleleo

Membranes 2021, 11(2), 132; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes11020132 - 14 Feb 2021

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2111

Abstract

Resveratrol, a polyphenolic molecule found in edible fruits and vegetables, shows a wide range of beneficial effects on human health, including anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and anti-aging properties. Due to its poor water solubility and high liposome-water partition coefficient, the biomembrane seems to be the main target of resveratrol, although the mode of interaction with membrane lipids and its location within the cell membrane are still unclear. In this study, using electrophysiological measurements, we study the interaction of resveratrol with planar lipid membranes (PLMs) of different composition. We found that resveratrol incorporates into palmitoyl-oleoyl-phosphatidylcholine (POPC) and POPC:Ch PLMs and forms conductive units unlike those found in dioleoyl-phosphatidylserine (DOPS):dioleoyl-phosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE) PLMs. The variation of the biophysical parameters of PLMs in the presence of resveratrol provides information on its location within a lipid double layer, thus contributing to an understanding of its mechanism of action. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Electrical Properties of Model Lipid Membranes)

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11 pages, 1656 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Electrical Properties of Membrane Phospholipids in Langmuir Monolayers

by Anna Chachaj-Brekiesz, Jan Kobierski, Anita Wnętrzak and Patrycja Dynarowicz-Latka

Membranes 2021, 11(1), 53; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes11010053 - 13 Jan 2021

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 2924

Abstract

Experimental surface pressure (

π

) and electric surface potential (

Δ V

) isotherms were measured for membrane lipids, including the following phosphatidylcholines (PCs)—1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC); 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DSPC); 1,2-diarachidoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DAPC); and 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC). In addition, other phospholipids, such as phosphatidylethanolamines (represented by 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine [...] Read more.

Experimental surface pressure (

π

) and electric surface potential (

Δ V

μ_{A}^{\exp}

) of the abovementioned lipids were determined using the Helmholtz equation. The particular contributions to the apparent dipole moments of the investigated molecules connected with their polar (

μ_{⊥}^{p}

) and apolar parts (

μ_{⊥}^{a}

) were theoretically calculated for geometrically optimized systems. Using a three-layer capacitor model, introducing the group’s apparent dipole moments (calculated herein) and adopting values from other papers to account for the reorientation of water molecules (

μ_{⊥}^{w} / ε_{w}

), as well as the for the local dielectric permittivity in the vicinity of the polar (

ε_{p}

) and apolar (

ε_{a}

) groups, the apparent dipole moments of the investigated molecules were calculated (

μ_{A}^{calc}

). Since the comparison of the two values (experimental and calculated) resulted in large discrepancies, we developed a new methodology that correlates the results from density functional theory (DFT) molecular modeling with experimentally determined values using multiple linear regression. From the fitted model, the following contributions to the apparent dipole moments were determined:

μ_{⊥}^{w} / ε_{w} = - 1.8 \pm 1.4 D

;

ε_{p} = 10.2 \pm 7.0

and

ε_{a} = 0.95 \pm 0.52

). Local dielectric permittivity in the vicinity of apolar groups (

ε_{a}

) is much lower compared to that in the vicinity of polar moieties (

ε_{p}

), which is in line with the tendency observed by other authors studying simple molecules with small polar groups. A much higher value for the contributions from the reorientation of water molecules (

μ_{⊥}^{w} / ε_{w}

) has been interpreted as resulting from bulky and strongly hydrated polar groups of phospholipids. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Electrical Properties of Model Lipid Membranes)

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13 pages, 2741 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Electrochemical Properties of Lipid Membranes Self-Assembled from Bicelles

by Damian Dziubak, Kamil Strzelak and Slawomir Sek

Membranes 2021, 11(1), 11; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes11010011 - 23 Dec 2020

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2393

Abstract

Supported lipid membranes are widely used platforms which serve as simplified models of cell membranes. Among numerous methods used for preparation of planar lipid films, self-assembly of bicelles appears to be promising strategy. Therefore, in this paper we have examined the mechanism of formation and the electrochemical properties of lipid films deposited onto thioglucose-modified gold electrodes from bicellar mixtures. It was found that adsorption of the bicelles occurs by replacement of interfacial water and it leads to formation of a double bilayer structure on the electrode surface. The resulting lipid assembly contains numerous defects and pinholes which affect the permeability of the membrane for ions and water. Significant improvement in morphology and electrochemical characteristics is achieved upon freeze–thaw treatment of the deposited membrane. The lipid assembly is rearranged to single bilayer configuration with locally occurring patches of the second bilayer, and the number of pinholes is substantially decreased. Electrochemical characterization of the lipid membrane after freeze–thaw treatment demonstrated that its permeability for ions and water is significantly reduced, which was manifested by the relatively high value of the membrane resistance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Electrical Properties of Model Lipid Membranes)

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22 pages, 7943 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Electrophoretic Light Scattering and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy Studies of Lipid Bilayers Modified by Cinnamic Acid and Its Hydroxyl Derivatives

by Monika Naumowicz, Marcin Zając, Magdalena Kusaczuk, Miroslav Gál and Joanna Kotyńska

Membranes 2020, 10(11), 343; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes10110343 - 15 Nov 2020

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2277

Abstract

Pharmacological efficiency of active compounds is largely determined by their membrane permeability. Thus, identification of drug-membrane interactions seems to be a crucial element determining drug-like properties of chemical agents. Yet, knowledge of this issue is still lacking. Since chemoprevention based on natural compounds such as cinnamic acid (CinA), p-coumaric acid (p-CoA) and ferulic (FA) is becoming a strong trend in modern oncopharmacology, determination of physicochemical properties of these anticancer compounds is highly important. Here, electrophoretic light scattering and impedance spectroscopy were applied to study the effects of these phenolic acids on electrical properties of bilayers formed from 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC), 1,2-diacyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-l-serine (PS) or DOPC-PS mixture. After phenolic acid treatment, the negative charge of membranes increased in alkaline pH solutions, but not in acidic ones. The impedance data showed elevated values of both the electrical capacitance and the electrical resistance. We concluded that at acidic pH all tested compounds were able to solubilize into the membrane and permeate it. At neutral and alkaline pH, the CinA could be partially inserted into the bilayers, whereas p-CoA and FA could be anchored at the bilayer surface. Our results indicate that the electrochemical methods might be crucial for predicting pharmacological activity and bioavailability of phenolic acids. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Electrical Properties of Model Lipid Membranes)

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Review

Jump to: Editorial, Research

20 pages, 4854 KiB

Open AccessReview

Mechanical and Electrical Interaction of Biological Membranes with Nanoparticles and Nanostructured Surfaces

by Jeel Raval, Ekaterina Gongadze, Metka Benčina, Ita Junkar, Niharika Rawat, Luka Mesarec, Veronika Kralj-Iglič, Wojciech Góźdź and Aleš Iglič

Membranes 2021, 11(7), 533; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes11070533 - 14 Jul 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3203

Abstract

In this review paper, we theoretically explain the origin of electrostatic interactions between lipid bilayers and charged solid surfaces using a statistical mechanics approach, where the orientational degree of freedom of lipid head groups and the orientational ordering of the water dipoles are considered. Within the modified Langevin Poisson–Boltzmann model of an electric double layer, we derived an analytical expression for the osmotic pressure between the planar zwitterionic lipid bilayer and charged solid planar surface. We also show that the electrostatic interaction between the zwitterionic lipid head groups of the proximal leaflet and the negatively charged solid surface is accompanied with a more perpendicular average orientation of the lipid head-groups. We further highlight the important role of the surfaces’ nanostructured topography in their interactions with biological material. As an example of nanostructured surfaces, we describe the synthesis of TiO₂ nanotubular and octahedral surfaces by using the electrochemical anodization method and hydrothermal method, respectively. The physical and chemical properties of these nanostructured surfaces are described in order to elucidate the influence of the surface topography and other physical properties on the behavior of human cells adhered to TiO₂ nanostructured surfaces. In the last part of the paper, we theoretically explain the interplay of elastic and adhesive contributions to the adsorption of lipid vesicles on the solid surfaces. We show the numerically predicted shapes of adhered lipid vesicles corresponding to the minimum of the membrane free energy to describe the influence of the vesicle size, bending modulus, and adhesion strength on the adhesion of lipid vesicles on solid charged surfaces. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Electrical Properties of Model Lipid Membranes)

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