Plasma membrane tension, produced by the underlying cytoskeleton, governs many dynamic processes such as fusion, blebbing, exo- and endocytosis, cell migration, and adhesion. Here, a new protocol is introduced to model this intricate and often overlooked aspect of the plasma membrane. Lipid bilayers spanning pores of 600 nm radius were prepared by adsorption and spreading of giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) on moderately hydrophilic porous substrates prepared by gold-coating and subsequent self-assembly of a mercaptoethanol monolayer. Rupture of GUVs formed tens of micrometer sized pore-spanning membrane patches displaying low tension of σ ≤ 3.5 mN m(-1) and lateral diffusion constants of about 8 μm(2) s(-1). Site-specific force indentation experiments were performed to determine membrane tension as a function of lipid composition: for pure DOPC bilayers, a tension of 1.018 ± 0.014 mN m(-1) was measured, which was increased by the addition of cholesterol to 3.50 ± 0.15 mN m(-1). Compared to DOPC, POPC bilayers displayed a larger tension of 2.00 ± 0.09 mN m(-1). Addition and subsequent partitioning of 2-propanol was shown to significantly reduce the membrane tension as a function of its concentration.

Layer-by-layer (LbL) deposition of polyelectrolytes within nanopores in terms of the pore size and the ionic strength was experimentally studied. Anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes, which have aligned, cylindrical, nonintersecting pores, were used as a model nanoporous system. Furthermore, the AAO membranes were also employed as planar optical waveguides to enable in situ monitoring of the LbL process within the nanopores by optical waveguide spectroscopy (OWS). Structurally well-defined N,N-disubstituted hydrazine phosphorus-containing dendrimers of the fourth generation, with peripherally charged groups and diameters of approximately 7 nm, were used as the model polyelectrolytes. The pore diameter of the AAO was varied between 30-116 nm and the ionic strength was varied over 3 orders of magnitude. The dependence of the deposited layer thickness on ionic strength within the nanopores is found to be significantly stronger than LbL deposition on a planar surface. Furthermore, deposition within the nanopores can become inhibited even if the pore diameter is much larger than the diameter of the G4-polyelectrolyte, or if the screening length is insignificant relative to the dendrimer diameter at high ionic strengths. Our results will aid in the template preparation of polyelectrolyte multilayer nanotubes, and our experimental approach may be useful for investigating theories regarding the partitioning of nano-objects within nanopores where electrostatic interactions are dominant. Furthermore, we show that the enhanced ionic strength dependence of polyelectrolyte transport within the nanopores can be used to selectively deposit a LbL multilayer atop a nanoporous substrate.

Porous substrates have gained widespread interest for biosensor applications based on molecular recognition. Thus, there is a great demand to systematically investigate the parameters that limit the transport of molecules toward and within the porous matrix as a function of pore geometry. Finite element simulations (FES) and time-resolved optical waveguide spectroscopy (OWS) experiments were used to systematically study the transport of molecules and their binding on the inner surface of a porous material. OWS allowed us to measure the kinetics of protein adsorption within porous anodic aluminum oxide membranes composed of parallel-aligned, cylindrical pores with pore radii of 10-40 nm and pore depths of 0.8-9.6 μm. FES showed that protein adsorption on the inner surface of a porous matrix is almost exclusively governed by the flux into the pores. The pore-interior surface nearly acts as a perfect sink for the macromolecules. Neither diffusion within the pores nor adsorption on the surface are rate limiting steps, except for very low rate constants of adsorption. While adsorption on the pore walls is mainly governed by the stationary flux into the pores, desorption from the inner pore walls involves the rate constants of desorption and adsorption, essentially representing the protein-surface interaction potential. FES captured the essential features of the OWS experiments such as the initial linear slopes of the adsorption kinetics, which are inversely proportional to the pore depth and linearly proportional to protein concentration. We show that protein adsorption kinetics allows for an accurate determination of protein concentration, while desorption kinetics could be used to capture the interaction potential of the macromolecules with the pore walls.

Anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) is a porous material having aligned cylindrical compartments with 55-60 nm diameter pores, and being several micrometers deep. A protocol was developed to generate pore-spanning fluid lipid bilayers separating the attoliter-sized compartments of the nanoporous material from the bulk solution, while preserving the optical transparency of the AAO. The AAO was selectively functionalized by silane chemistry to spread giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) resulting in large continuous membrane patches covering the pores. Formation of fluid single lipid bilayers through GUV rupture could be readily observed by fluorescence microscopy and further supported by conservation of membrane surface area, before and after GUV rupture. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching gave low immobile fractions (5-15%) and lipid diffusion coefficients similar to those found for bilayers on silica. The entrapment of molecules within the porous underlying cylindrical compartments, as well as the exclusion of macromolecules from the nanopores, demonstrate the barrier function of the pore-spanning membranes and could be investigated in three-dimensions using confocal laser scanning fluorescence imaging.

Spontaneous asymmetric generation of supramolecular chiral fibers was observed in the folding induced self-assembly of a lock-washer shaped foldamer. A secondary nucleation growth mechanism is proposed to explain the observed chiral amplification or deracemization of these supramolecular fibers.

A template-based method for the fabrication of silver cyanide and polymer composite nanowires is described. Poly(styrene-alt-maleic anhydride) forms nanotubes in aqueous solution and acts as a template, guiding the growth of silver cyanide into long nanowires. The structures obtained can grow to several tens of micrometers in length and their diameter range from several to tens of nanometers. These AgCN nanowires can be reduced to metallic silver to form a high surface area Ag(0) nanowire array on a flexible nylon filter substrate.

We demonstrate high-sensitivity biosensing by optical waveguide spectroscopy (OWS) at visible wavelengths using aligned polycyanurate thermoset nanorods (PCNs) arranged in extended arrays as waveguides. The PCNs formed by thermal polymerization of a cyanate ester monomer in self-ordered nanoporous alumina templates were 60 nm in diameter and 650 nm in length. Subtle refractive index changes of the medium surrounding the nanorods could be detected by monitoring the angular shifts of waveguiding modes. The sensing figure of merit thus achieved amounted to 196 reciprocal refractive index units and is, therefore, higher than that of other sensors based on angular modulation, while the configuration used here is eligible for further surface functionalization. Kinetics of the binding of taurine to the surface cyanate groups of the PCNs was monitored by OWS. Thus, modified PCNs bearing sulfonic acid groups at their surfaces were obtained. PCN arrays may represent a versatile platform for the design of biosensors.

Anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes with aligned, cylindrical, nonintersecting pores were selectively functionalized in order to create dual-functionality substrates with different pore-rim and pore-interior surface functionalities, using silane chemistry. We used a two-step process involving an evaporated thin gold film to protect the underlying surface functionality of the pore rims. Subsequent treatment with oxygen plasma of the modified AAO membrane removed the unprotected organic functional groups, i.e., the pore-interior surface. After gold removal, the substrate became optically transparent, and displayed two distinct surface functionalities, one at the pore-rim surface and another at the pore-interior surface. We achieved a selective hydrophobic functionalization with dodecyl-trichlorosilane of either the pore rims or the pore interiors. The deposition of planar lipid membranes on the functionalized areas by addition of small unilamellar vesicles occurred in a predetermined fashion. Small unilamellar vesicles only ruptured upon contact with the hydrophobic substrate regions forming solid supported hybrid bilayers. In addition, pore-rim functionalization with dodecyl-trichlorosilane allowed the formation of pore-spanning hybrid lipid membranes as a result of giant unilamellar vesicle rupture. Confocal laser scanning microscopy was employed to identify the selective spatial localization of the adsorbed fluorescently labeled lipids. The corresponding increase in the AAO refractive index due to lipid adsorption on the hydrophobic regions was monitored by optical waveguide spectroscopy. This simple orthogonal functionalization route is a promising method to control the three-dimensional surface functionality of nanoporous films.