Planar Lipid Bilayer Method for Studying Channel Molecules

The planar lipid bilayer method is another way to examine channel molecules functionally at the single-molecule level. In contrast to patch-clamping, channel molecules are isolated from various biological resources and are reconstituted into an artificial membrane that has a defined lipid composition. Various techniques have been developed, from the conventional painting method to liposome-patch clamping. In this chapter, underlying principles and technical details for forming the planar lipid bilayer and methods for incorporating channel molecules into the bilayer are reviewed.