Ion-channel-like behavior in lipid bilayer membranes at the melting transition

TY - JOUR

T1 - Ion-channel-like behavior in lipid bilayer membranes at the melting transition

AU - Gallaher, Jill

AU - Wodzinska, Katarzyna

AU - Heimburg, Thomas Rainer

AU - Bier, Martin

PY - 2010/6/30

Y1 - 2010/6/30

N2 - It is well known that at the gel-liquid phase-transition temperature a lipid bilayer membrane exhibits an increased ion permeability. We analyze the quantized currents in which the increased permeability presents itself. The open time histogram shows a " -3/2 " power law which implies an open-closed transition rate that decreases like k (t) t-1 as time evolves. We propose a "pore freezing" model to explain the observations. We discuss how this model also leads to the 1/ fα noise that is commonly observed in currents across biological and artificial membranes.

AB - It is well known that at the gel-liquid phase-transition temperature a lipid bilayer membrane exhibits an increased ion permeability. We analyze the quantized currents in which the increased permeability presents itself. The open time histogram shows a " -3/2 " power law which implies an open-closed transition rate that decreases like k (t) t-1 as time evolves. We propose a "pore freezing" model to explain the observations. We discuss how this model also leads to the 1/ fα noise that is commonly observed in currents across biological and artificial membranes.

U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevE.81.061925

DO - 10.1103/PhysRevE.81.061925

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 20866458

SN - 2470-0045

VL - 81

SP - 061925

JO - Physical Review E

JF - Physical Review E

IS - 6, Part 1

ER -