Electrowetting on dielectric-based microfluidics for integrated lipid bilayer formation and measurement

We present a microfluidic platform for the formation and electrical measurement of lipid bilayer membranes. Using electrowetting on dielectric (EWOD), two or more aqueous droplets surrounded by a lipid-containing organic phase were manipulated into contact to form a lipid bilayer at their interface. Thin-film Ag/AgCl electrodes integrated into the device enabled electrical measurement of membrane formation and the incorporation of gramicidin channels of two bilayers in parallel. (C) 2009 American Institute of Physics. [DOI:10.1063/1.3167283]