Biomimetic and Bioinspired Membranes to Reconstruct the Properties of Natural Systems

In nature, biological membranes are organized barriers necessary to support and preserve the differences in composition of the interior and exterior of a compartment as can be observed in vesicles, organelles, and even cells. The surface of these barriers (usually composed of lipids and integral or peripheral associated membrane proteins) are the mayor contact and interaction sites during physiological processes, such as cell-cell communication or nutrient uptake, that eventually leads to the active or passive transport of material into or out of the cell. Here, functional membrane surface areas are believed to organize into function-related active membrane domains, in some cases also referred to as lipid rafts.

Organized membrane domains are suggested to be essential for the coordination of specific functions that can be modulated by composition, structure, and dynamics of the lipid membrane. Specific physical parameters such as the hydrophobic thickness, the ordering, and lateral pressure within the lipid bilayer membrane are altered during the organization of the membrane surface. Furthermore, it is known that membrane proteins can play a role in this organization, both actively and passively, being able to globally alter (mechanical) properties of the system such as tension or bending or even promoting local remodeling of its composition.

A widespread approach towards the understanding of one of the most fundamental aspects of biomembrane-physics is based on the use of colloidal and interfacial models, which have emerged as indispensable for the clarification, observation, and evaluation of different aspects, including the interactions between individual components within the membrane or the interactions between the membrane surface and molecules present in the interior or external surroundings. Colloidal systems also play a central role in the fabrication of artificial cells using lipids or other molecules for the fabrication of the container (or chassis) that incorporates the biomimetic machinery, such as the energy producing cellular electron transport chain, an excellent candidate to operate in physiological environments or microfluidic platforms.

With this Research Topic we want to display state-of-the-art current advances of colloidal and interfacial sciences addressing biomimetic membranes focusing on important aspects such as:

• The mutual interaction of lipids and proteins within the biomimetic membrane
• The influence of the abundance of specific lipids on the physico-chemical properties of the biomimetic membrane
• The composition-dependent formation of lipid and/or protein membrane (micro- or nano-domains
• The mechanical deformation of the membrane effected by the protein complexes and surroundings