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Contribution to the electrochemistry of bimolecular lipid membranes

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Summary

The electrical properties and the mechanism of the electrical conductivity of artificial bimolecular lipid membranes (BLM) have been investigated in the presence of iodine and iodide. It is shown that a model different from simple ion diffusion must be considered to account for the observations. On the basis of experimental results the following can be concluded:

  1. a)

    each membrane-electrolyte interface behaves as a semiconductor electrochemical electrode,

  2. b)

    the bulk membrane phase behaves as an electronic conductor, transferring the charge carriers generated by the electrode reactions,

  3. c)

    the membrane can also serve as a matrix for certain components of the redox system present in the bathing solutions.

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Author notes

  1. B. Karvaly

    Present address: Institute of Biophysics Biological Research Center, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Odesszai Krt. 62, P.O.B. 521, Szeged, Hungary

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biophysics Department, Michigan State University, 48823, East Lansing, Michigan, USA

    B. Karvaly, B. Rosenberg, H. C. Pant & G. Kemeny

Authors
  1. B. Karvaly
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  2. B. Rosenberg
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  3. H. C. Pant
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  4. G. Kemeny
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Additional information

This work was supported by a Research Grant EY 00241 of the National Eye Institute, and Contract ONR 2587 of the Office of Naval Research.

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Karvaly, B., Rosenberg, B., Pant, H.C. et al. Contribution to the electrochemistry of bimolecular lipid membranes. Biophysik 10, 199–212 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01190579

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01190579

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