Formation and encapsulation of molecular bilayer and monolayer membranes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9233846-B2
Application number	US-201113269433-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 7, 2011
Priority date	Oct 14, 2005
Publication date	Jan 12, 2016
Grant date	Jan 12, 2016

Abstract

Disclosed herein are compositions, methods, and devices related to bilayer and monolayer membranes, their encapsulation in a hydrogel, and their formation. Methods of using the disclosed compositions and devices are also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for preparing a bilayer or monolayer membrane, the method comprising:
(a) forming a bilayer or monolayer membrane supported at its boundary by a solid substrate by
(i) providing a device comprising:
a substrate;
at least one first microfluidic channel defined in the substrate; and
at least one second microfluidic channel defined in the substrate; and
a solvent-absorbing hydrophobic substance connected to the at least one first microfluidic channel and the at least one second microfluidic channel;
wherein the at least one first microfluidic channel is in fluid communication with the at least one second microfluidic channel via a hole in the solvent-absorbing hydrophobic substance,
wherein the at least one first microfluidic channel contains a first solution,
wherein the at least second microfluidic channel contains a second solution, and

(ii) introducing a lipid or other amphiphile at the hole of the solvent-absorbing hydrophobic substance,
wherein the lipid or other amphiphile forms the bilayer or monolayer membrane at the hole of the solvent-absorbing hydrophobic substance by contacting the first solution, the second solution, and the hydrophobic substance; and

(b) polymerizing a hydrogel prepolymer in the presence of the bilayer or monolayer membrane,
thereby forming a hydrogel encapsulated bilayer or monolayer membrane supported at its boundary by the solid substrate.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lipid or other amphiphile is introduced in an organic solution, wherein the first solution and/or the second solution comprises an aqueous solution, and wherein the method further comprises adjusting the flow of the organic solution and the aqueous solution so that the organic solution forms a droplet in the aqueous solution; wherein the organic solution partitions into the solvent-absorbing hydrophobic substance thereby forming a bilayer or monolayer membrane.

3. A method of forming a bilayer or monolayer membrane, comprising:
(a) providing a device comprising
(i) a substrate;
(ii) at least one first microfluidic channel defined in the substrate;
(iii) at least one second microfluidic channel defined in the substrate;
(iv) a solvent-absorbing hydrophobic substance connected to the at least one first microfluidic channel and the at least one second microfluidic channel;

wherein the at least one first microfluidic channel is in fluid communication with the at least one second microfluidic channel via a hole in the solvent-absorbing hydrophobic substance,
(b) contacting the one or more first microfluidic channels with an organic solution comprising a lipid or other amphiphile;
(c) contacting the one or more second microfluidic channels with an aqueous solution; and
(d) adjusting the flow of the organic solution and the aqueous solution so that the organic solution forms a droplet in the aqueous solution;
wherein the organic solution partitions into the solvent-absorbing hydrophobic substance thereby forming a bilayer or monolayer membrane.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the organic solution comprises propane, butane, pentane, hexane, heptane, octane, nonane, decane, cyclopentane, cyclohexane, benzene, toluene, xylene, squalene, diethyl ether, diisopropylether, ethylacetate, 2-butanone, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, methylene chloride, tetrachloroethane, trichlorethane, dichloroethane, or ethyl acetate.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the organic solution comprises 1:1 squalene:n-decane.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the organic solution comprises a multiblock copolymer.

7. The method of claim 3 , wherein the organic solution comprises diphytanoyl-phosphatidylcholine.

8. The method of claim 3 , wherein the aqueous solution comprises a hydrogel prepolymer.

9. The method of claim 3 , wherein contacting further comprises
(a) forming a bilayer or monolayer membrane supported at its boundary by a solid substrate and
(b) polymerizing a hydrogel prepolymer in the presence of the bilayer or monolayer membrane.

10. The method of claim 3 , wherein the lipid or other amphiphile is introduced in an organic solution, and wherein the first solution and/or the second solution comprises an aqueous solution.

Assignees

• Schmidt Jacob J
• Malmstadt Noah
• Jeon Tae-Joon
• Poulos Jason
• Univ California

Inventors

• Schmidt Jacob J
• Malmstadt Noah
• Jeon Tae-Joon
• Poulos Jason

Classifications

• G01N33/92 Primary

  involving lipids, e.g. cholesterol {, lipoproteins, or their receptors (steroid hormones G01N33/743)} · CPC title

• B01D2323/42

  Details of membrane preparation apparatus · CPC title

• B82Y40/00 Primary

  Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures · CPC title

• B01D2323/40

  in-situ membrane formation · CPC title

• B01D67/002

  from melts · CPC title