発振現象を利用した分子認識

概要

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Chemical sensors that can detect various molecular species at low concentrations would be useful. The electrodes developed so far, such as, pH electrodes, measure the activities of test ions in solution as D.C. voltage differences generated when electrodes are immersed in solutions of these ions. In taste and olfaction, in contrast, electrical impulses in the nerve are generated at sensory organs by various chemical stimuli, that is, chemical information on chemical structure and concentration is converted into frequencies of nerve impulses. Thus to mimic the moleculal mechanism of recognition in sensory organs, an excitable artificial sensing system must be developed. In the present paper, we show the posibilities of developing a new type of chemical sensor capable of distinguishing various chemical substances on the basis of information on the frequency, amplitude and the shape of impulses. It is also demonstrated that pulsing or oscillation of membrane potential and electrical current is observed in artificial membranes with various lipids in the absence of any channel protein. These results are discussed in relation to the mechanism of gating in biomembranes.
日本生物物理学会の論文