Single-channel manipulation based on free-standing lipid bilayers

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The purpose of this study is development of an atomic force microscopy (AFM)-based method for manipulating single ion-channels through the combination of AFM and recently reported stable bilayer lipid membranes (BLMs). The final goal is that isolation of ion channels from cell membranes and subsequent incorporation of the channel into free-standing bilayer lipid membranes is made by AFM. We started with design of a solution cell and construction of cell lines expressing ion channel proteins. In addition, further improvement of stable BLMs was also achieved by coating the microfabricated silicon chips with insulator layers. We succeeded in formation of stable BLMs with electrical properties suitable for recording single-channel activities of biological ion channels