Taste Sensor Using LB Membranes for Detecting Nonelectrolytes

本研究旨在开发一种基于Langmuir-Blodgett （LB）膜的味觉传感器，并利用脂质膜的非线性动力学进行味觉识别。结果表明：1)LB膜对5种味觉物质（咸、酸、甜、苦、鲜）的响应方式不同。其敏感性高于人类。2)利用专用显微镜观察了膜电位自持续振荡时脂质吸附膜的脂质组分结构变化。3)在脂膜上施加直流电流诱导混沌。五种味觉物质以不同的方式改变了混沌振荡。实验和理论表明，非线性动力学对味觉质量和大小的识别是有效的。这些结果是本研究首次发现的。因此，本研究表明LB膜是味觉物质换能器的有用材料，并且混沌等非线性动力学以类似于生物系统的方式有效地识别味觉。

The present study is aimed at the development of a taste sensor using a Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) membrane and also the utilization of nonlinear dynamics of lipid membranes for recognizing taste. The following results were obtained :1) The LB membrane responded to five kinds of taste substances (salty, sour, sweet, bitter, umami) in different ways. The sensitivity was higher than that of humans.2) The structural changes in lipid assemblies of a lipid-adsorbed membrane were observed using a special apparatus with a microscope when the self-sustained oscillation of membtane electric potential occurred.3) Chaos was induced by applying the d.c.electric current on the lipid membrane. The chaotic oscillation was changed by five kinds of taste substances in different ways. It was shown experimentally and theoretically that the nonlinear dynamics is effective for recognition of taste quality and magnitude.These results were found first by this study. Thus, the present study showed that the LB membranes are useful materials of a transducer of taste substances and that such a nonlinear dynamics as chaos is effective for recognizing taste in a manner similar to biological systems.