Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
FIGURE 13.12
The planar bimolecular lipid membrane is also referred to as a black lipid membrane or BLM. It
is formed by spreading an organic solution of membrane polar lipids across a small hole in a Teflon partition
separating two aqueous chambers
[37]
.
FIGURE 13.13
Alec D. Bangham (1921
e
2010).
Reprinted with permission
[80]
.
solution occupied the hole. This rapidly thinned as the organic solvent was squeezed out
leaving a thin membrane that occupied most of the hole. Electrical and 90
o
reflected light
interference measurements proved this suspended membrane was indeed a lipid bilayer.
It was therefore called a bimolecular lipid membrane (or black lipid membrane, due to total
destructive interference when viewed at 90
o
from incident light) or simply BLM. Although
