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

Jill Gallaher, Katarzyna Wodzinska, Thomas Rainer Heimburg, Martin Bier

29 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

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.

Original languageEnglish
JournalPhysical Review E (Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics)
Volume81
Issue number6, Part 1
Pages (from-to)061925
Number of pages5
ISSN1539-3755
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 30 Jun 2010

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