Supported membranes as biofunctional interfaces and smart biosensor platforms

Motomu Tanaka, Erich Sackmann

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

42 Scopus citations

Abstract

The design of soft biocompatible and functional interfaces on solids is a challenging interdisciplinary endeavour with great potentials for scientific and biotechnnological applications. By combining modern concepts of genetic engineering and bio-organic chemistry, novel classes of recombinant proteins enable the immobilization of functional nano-machineries on solid surfaces, which can even beat functions of native biological systems. Mimetics of tissues can be fabricated by deposition of ultrathin films of biopolymers (such as cellulose or hyaluronic acid), which opens new possibilities for fundamental studies of mechanisms of cell adhesion and tissue growth. Careful adjustment of interfacial potentials using such soft interlayers can also realize the stress-free immobilization of cells for application as monitors of toxic substances and drugs. Planar models of cell surfaces can be fabricated by self-assembly of membranes on solid substrates functionalized with soft polymers, which play the generic role of cytoskeleton and glycocalix. Planar geometry enables the application of various surface sensitive techniques to study structures and dynamics of biological membranes. This review presents a survey of recent development in supported membranes, and presents some potential application of this concept in smart biosensors.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)3452-3462
Number of pages11
JournalPhysica Status Solidi (A) Applications and Materials Science
Volume203
Issue number14
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2006

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