TRANSDUCTION OF THE CHEMORECEPTOR-EFFECTOR INTERACTION AT LANGMUIRBLODGETT FILMS AND MEMBRANES

Abstract

Biological organisms respond to chemical messages internally and externally through a variety of receptor cells. The chemoreceptive process at membranes offers an interesting model for the development of biosensors. In the present paper, we discuss briefly molecular recognition provided by receptors in the context of sensor design. Work in our laboratory has been concerned with perturbation of ionic fluxes through bilayer lipid membranes by selective bimolecular interactions. As a model for this process we have performed experiments with a Langmuir-Blodgett film balance in which reagents are infused into the subphase. The surface pressure and area characteristics and dipole potential are all monitored concurrently. In the case of lectin-polysaccharide and immunochemical bimolecular interactions interesting transients in potential were observed. These are attributed to perturbation of the monolayer dipole structure by surface aggregative processes. Partial confirmation of this result was obtained from Langmuir-Blodgett fluorescence microscope experiments performed at the Technische Universitat, MUnchen.