Model systems




Lipid bilayers can be created artificially in the lab to allow researchers to perform experiments that cannot be done with natural bilayers. They can also be used in the field of Synthetic Biology, to define the boundaries of artificial cells. These synthetic systems are called model lipid bilayers. There are many different types of model bilayers, each having experimental advantages and disadvantages. They can be made with either synthetic or natural lipids. Among the most common model systems are:

  • Black lipid membranes (BLM)
  • Supported lipid bilayers (SLB)
  • Tethered Bilayer Lipid Membranes (t-BLM)
  • Vesicles
  • Droplet Interface Bilayers (DIBs)

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