The
measurement of ion permeation activity across planar lipid
bilayers is a useful technique for the functional analysis and drug
evaluation of ion channels at the single-molecule level. To enhance
the data throughput, parallelization of lipid bilayers is desirable.
However, existing parallelized approaches face challenges in simultaneously
and efficiently measuring ion channel activities under various conditions
on one chip. In this study, we propose an approach to overcome these
limitations by developing a device capable of repeated measurements
of ion channels incorporated into individually arrayed lipid bilayers.
Our device forms an array of a lipid bilayer at a micropore on a separator
by merging two lipid monolayers assembled on the surface of aqueous
droplets. We introduce a vertically moving, blade-shaped modulereferred
to as a “wiping blade”which enables controlled
disruption and reformation of the bilayer at the micropore. By optimizing
the surface properties and clearance of the wiping blade, we successfully
achieved repeated bilayer formation. The arrayed lipid bilayer device
with the integrated wiping blade module demonstrates a 5-fold improvement
in data throughput during ion channel activity measurements. Finally,
we validate the practical utility of our device by evaluating the
effects of an ion channel inhibitor. The developed device opens new
avenues for high-throughput analysis and screening of ion channels,
leading to significant advancements in drug discovery and functional
studies of membrane proteins. It offers a powerful tool for researchers
in the field and holds promise for accelerating drug development by
targeting ion channels.